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8
Preface
HEALTH & WELFARE DEPARTMENT,
Telephone: 17/23 Clements Road,
ILFord 3020 ILFORD.
August, 1965.
Mr. MAYOR, LADIES and GENTLEMEN,
I submit herewith the last Annual Report of the Health Services of
the Borough of Ilford. Perforce this report must be presented to the new
London Borough of Redbridge, as the Borough of Ilford ceased to exist
on 31st March, 1965. Reports of other officers in the Public Health
Department are as usual included.
Most fittingly, the health statistics for this last year are probably
the best ever and show in many cases a remarkable improvement over the
previous year, even although the 1963 ones were good. The new borough
will be set a difficult task to maintain this standard. In each case the
figures in brackets refer to 1963. There were 29 (40) stillbirths, the
infant mortality rate was 12.36 (20.36) per 1000 live births. The neonatal
mortality rate was 7.68 (14.18) per 1000 live births in the first
four weeks of life. The early neo-natal mortality rate, i.e. under one
week, was 7.01 (13.9). The perinatal mortality rate 16.54 (27.23) thus also
improved. There were no maternal deaths, and the adjusted death rate
for the borough was 10.59 (11.84).
There were 2994 (2751) live births in the town, bringing the adjusted
birth rate to 17.23 (15.74).
Notified infectious disease fell to 1660 (2063), the main drops being
in dysentery 142 (295), measles 1131 (1277), whooping cough 98 (183)
and food poisoning 19 (36). There were 6 (12) deaths from tuberculosis
and 134 (212) from pneumonia.
On the debit side, the percentage of illegitimate births is still
rising, 5.61% (5.10%), and the incidence of cancer of the lung, with 95(91)
deaths, continues to warn us against the risks of cigarette smoking.
The change-over from Ilford to Redbridge is still so fresh in my
mind that perhaps this preface is an apt opportunity to comment on a few
features. The take-over proceeded smoothly and without fuss, and all
services are at least as good as they were before. This hurdle is now
over and the next step is to make sure that we improve the services even