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9
1,749 deaths in a population of — is a death rate of —. The
rate for the six pre-war years was a fairly steady average of 7.6; there
was a sharp rise in 1940 to 9.1 which remained the average of the three
years 1940 to 1942.
The total deaths, 823 male and 926 female, is a decline on the
previous year's figure, the deaths amongst males being 99 fewer, though
those amongst females 30 more. This increase in the number of female
deaths is almost entirely accounted for by the greater number amongst
women from influenza, 35 as against 8 in the previous year. Associated
with these were the increases due to respiratory diseases, 130 as against
79, which outweighed the saving of 34 in deaths due to heart disease,
203 as against 237. Amongst males influenza was not responsible for so
great a rise, only 16 as against 6, while there was no increase in the
number of deaths from respiratory diseases. The decline of 99 was made
up by a saving of 19 in deaths due to cancer, and 51 to intracranial lesions,
heart and other circulatory diseases. The 51 deaths from influenza as
contrasted with only 14 in the previous year was due to a number of
fatalities occurring, more particularly amongst the aged, from the outbreak
of influenza which affected this district as it did the whole country
towards the end of the year. Infantile diarrhoea after falling in 1942
was responsible for a greater number of deaths again, 20 as against 8.
It was pointed out last year that of the infections and those, conditions
particularly susceptible to external environmental influences, only the
tuberculosis rate remained at a figure substantially higher than those
usual in pre-war years. The position was the same in 1943, and it can
even be recorded that there is a further improvement in the case of
tuberculosis, as although the number of deaths from non-pulmonary
tuberculosis rose from 8 to 13 the number from pulmonary tuberculosis
showed a decline from 101 to 83.
Fatalities from the infectious diseases expressed as a rate per thousand
population again compared favourably with figures for the country as a
whole, the rates for whooping cough — , diphtheria —, measles
, and influenza — , being lower than the corresponding national
rates of 0.03, 0.03, 0.02 and 0.37. The death-rate from infantile diarrhoea
of — per thousand live births is slightly higher than the national rate.
Of the deaths of males 50 per cent occurred in those of over 65 years
of age. In 1938 the corresponding figure was 40.3, in 1941, 42.1 and in
1942, 46.4. The greater expectation of life amongst females is shown
by the fact that 56.3 of the total deaths amongst women occurred amongst
those of over 65, the corresponding figures for the years 1938, 1941, and
1942 being 46.5, 53.0 and 56.8.
GENERAL PROVISIONS OF HEALTH SERVICES
FOR THE AREA.
CLINICS AND TREATMENT CENTRES.
The only changes in the clinic sessions during the year were the
holding from January 21st of an additional ante-natal session in North
Harrow, and from April of an additional monthly attendance of the