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(i)
TELEPHONE NO: PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
KINGSTON 2121. GUILDHALL,
KINGSTON-UPON- THAMES,
SURREY.
MAY, 1960.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OP
THE ROYAL BOROUGH OP KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES.
ANNUAL REPORT. 1959.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the
public health and social conditions of the Borough for 1959.
The Report is of a similar pattern to that for previous
years and follows the general lines indicated "by the Minister
of Health, and is in accordance with Circular 1/60.
I am indebted to Mr. G.C. Smith, Chief Public Health
Inspector, with special reference to Sections C - E, and
Mr. M. Frankell, Administrative Officer, for assistance in
compiling the Report,
Population - The estimated mid 1959 home population
given by the Registrar General is 38,590 an estimated decrease
of 210 persons compared with 1958, It is always necessary to
draw attention to the fact that this figure relates to the resident
population of the town and is used for the calculation
of the statistical data now presented. The actual day
population has been estimated to be about 300,000 persons who
come to the town for business, education, and recreation purposes.
This is a special feature of the town which influences
the volume of work and responsibility of the Corporation.
Births - The number of live births for 1959 is 564 and
compares with 536 for 1958., The crude birth rate is 14.5
per 1,000 population compared with 13.8 for 1958.
Deaths - The number of deaths recorded in 1959 is 416
compared with 434 for 1958. This makes a crude death rate
of 10.8 as compared with 11.2 for 1958. The excess of births
over deaths was 148 compared with 102 for the previous year.
The number of deaths of infants under 1 year of age in
1959 is 13 which gives an Infant Mortality rate per 1,000
live births of 23.0. The corresponding figures for 1958 were
8 infant deaths and an Infant Mortality rate of 14.9 The
approximate average rate for the previous five years (1954
1958) is 17.
There were no maternal deaths (i.e. from pregnancy,
childbirth, abortion).
Causes of Death - The main conditions causing death
during 1959 were Heart Disease - 105, Cancer - 99 and
Vascular Lesions of the Nervous System - 54
National attention has been drawn in recent years to
the general increase in the number of deaths attributable to
lung cancer and its possible association with cigarette
smoking.