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7
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
HANOVER HOUSE,
LYON ROAD,
HARROW, MIDDLESEX.
To His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Harrow.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the Health
and Sanitary conditions of the district for the year 1964.
The variations seen from year to year in the vital statistics
are again evident in the figures for 1964 but, if anything, with more
evidence of "credits" than of "debits"! There was a population
increase of 730 to a figure of 210,250, with falls recorded in the
infant mortality and death rates. A lower stillbirth rate no doubt
helped in producing a lower peri-natal mortality rate and, once
again, there were no maternal deaths. In spite of an increase in
the numbers of live births, unfortunately with an increased percentage
which were illegitimate, the number who died in the
neo-natal period—under four weeks of age—fell, thus producing
improved figures for the neo-natal and early neo-natal mortality
rates. Whether this is merely an annual fluctuation or the
beginning of a downward trend will only become evident in years
to come. Nevertheless, the falls in mortality rates are welcomed.
Much more interest is now being centred on children born
with congenital malformations or abnormalities. In my last report,
mention was made of the introduction of the Ministry of Health
scheme for the notification to the Registrar General of any malformations
observed at the time of birth and described as accurately as
is possible at the time. Details of these notifications for 1964 are
given later in this report. Registers of children who, because of
some handicap may require special treatment and/or special
education at a later date, have been kept for some time now, and
these new notifications at birth should help in making the register
as complete as possible. In addition "At Risk" registers are
maintained of children who, though apparently normal, are at risk
of developing some handicap because of some adverse factor
during the infant's pre-natal, peri-natal or post-natal life.