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ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER
OF HEALTH
1959
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Wimbledon, S.W.19.
(WIMbledon 6262)
August, 1960.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Wimbledon.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the work of
the Public Health Department for the year 1959. This Report is
compiled in accordance with the instructions contained in Circular
1/60 of the Ministry of Health and is on similar lines to previous years.
Live births in Wimbledon in 1959 numbered 846, giving a birth
rate, per thousand of the population, of 14.13, which compares with
794 births and a rate of 13.24 in 1958. This was the highest live birth
rate recorded in the Borough for the past ten years. Six per cent of the
total live births were illegitimate. The live birth rate for England and
Wales for the year was 16.5.
The death rate from all causes per thousand total population shewed
an increase at 10.99 over the preceding year when it was 9.89. The
excess of births over deaths was 94 compared with 124 in the previous
year. The death rate for England and Wales in 1959 was 11.6.
There were no maternal deaths.
Deaths of infants under one year numbered 20 as against 15 last
year, giving an infantile mortality rate of 23.64 per thousand live births.
Some increase in this rate was to be expected in view of the higher
birth rate in 1959. Counterbalancing this rate, however, was a fall in
the number of stillbirths to 15 compared with 21 in 1958.
The principal cause of death was as usual, heart disease, especially
coronary disease, while cancer was the second greatest cause. Although
deaths from heart disease were one fewer than last year, 255 as against
256, deaths from cancer shewed a further increase, numbering 150
compared with 129 in 1958. This increase was not confined to cancer
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