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THE COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHALL, 1952
HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR
*Alderman J. Lowe, J.P.
Deputy Mayor:
Councillor J. G. P. Dormer.
Aldermen:
*Dane, A. T. Gardner, F. E. Lowe, J., J.P.
Douglas, H. C. Hopkins, W. H. Marks, F. J., J.P.
Councillors:
*Barrett, J. *Godman, A. S. Shepherd, A. H.
†*BlDWELL, S. J. haigh, J. *Southey P. G.
†*Cavell, Mrs. I., J.P. †*LovE, P. J. (Chairman, Steele, T. J.
Cullingworth, F. A. Public Health Committee). *Ward, J. H.
Dormer, J. G. P. Lye, A. E. White, H. J.
*Errington, F. G. *Salmon, J. *Williams, Mrs. V. G. I.
Sheil, E. J.
* Members of the Public Health Committee,
† Members of the Area Health Committee (Area No. 9).
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Southall.
MR. MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present the 56th Annual Report on the health and circumstances
of the population of the Borough of Southall, for the year 1952. The health of the people
continued to be good.
The birth rate, which has been falling over the years since 1946, showed another slight
decrease, the total number of births being identical with that in 1951, i.e. 706, and this,
calculated against an increased total population, produces a birth rate for the year of 12.94.
The death rate fell from 9.91 in 1951 to 9.33 in 1952. This compares favourably
with the death rate for the whole country, which was 11 3. Heart disease and cancer were
again the principal causes of death and although there was a reduction in the number of
deaths from respiratory diseases, it is noteworthy that 17 out of the total 74 deaths from
this cause occurred in the month of the great London fog.
A satisfactory fact to be able to record is that the infant mortality rate of 19.83 deaths
per 1,000 live births is the lowest ever recorded for Southall, comparing favourably with
the national infant mortality rate of 27.6. It is interesting to look back on the Annual Report
for 1943 in which the infant mortality was 53.01, and in which it was suggested that an
infant mortality of 27 per 1,000 which had then been obtained in New Zealand was an
ideal to be aimed at and not likely to be achieved very rapidly. Since among the infant
deaths are included three from pneumonia and five from prematurity, causes which could
be considered to be preventable, it is reasonable to hope for still further reduction in the
infant mortality rate.
The total number of infectious diseases notifications was very much lower than
during the previous year. This was principally due to a fall in the number of notifications
of measles and whooping cough. No case of diphtheria has been notified in the Borough
of Southall since 1948, and although the number of notifications of scarlet fever was slightly
increased the type of illness was not severe and few secondary cases occurred. There
was an increase in the number of cases of poliomyelitis and seven out of the eight notified
patients had the paralytic form of the disease.
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