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Births.
The number of live births registered in Woolwich during 1953, was 2,133.
After correction for inward and outward transfers, the net number of Woolwich
live births was 2,090, being 101 less than in the previous year. Of the total births,
1,062 were boys and 1,028 girls. It is known that 2,925 births took place in public
institutions in the Borough, of which 1,109 concerned Woolwich mothers. The
birth rate was 13.8 which, when adjusted to allow for the differing age and sex
distribution of the population in various parts of the country, gives a birth rate of
13.7, compared with the birth rate for England and Wales of 15.5, and for London
of 17.5. There were 51 stillbirths during the year under review.
Natural Increase in Population (i.e., Excess of Births over Deaths).
In 1953 the natural increase in population was 521. In 1952 it was 532 and in
1951 it was 435.
Deaths.
The number of deaths registered in Woolwich was 1,260, and after correction
for inward and outward transfers the net number was 1,569, giving a death rate
of 10.38 for the Borough, compared with 10.9 the previous year.
The adjusted death rate for Woolwich was 10.3, compared with 12.5 for London
and 11.4 for England and Wales.
Deaths of Woolwich residents in hospitals in the Borough totalled 347, whilst
439 died in other hospitals outside the Borough.
Motor Vehicle Accidents.
There were eleven deaths of Woolwich residents during the year due to motor
vehicle accidents. No fatal accidents occurred to a child under five years of age.
Five deaths concerned youths, and two were persons over 65 years of age.
Assistance was again given to the Council's Road Safety Committee by the
showing of sound films on this subject at a number of the film sessions presented
by the Health Department.
Deaths from Cancer.
Of the total number of deaths, 303 (or 19 per cent.) were from Cancer, being a
similar number as in the previous year. One hundred and eighty-one occurred in
men and 122 in women. More than half the cancer deaths (165) took place in
hospitals. From the following table it will be seen that there has been an increase
in the number of deaths among men from cancer of the lung and bronchus since
the end of the War.