London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Richmond upon Thames 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]
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POPULATION
The natural increase (excess of births over deaths) was 25.
| Year | Population | Population trend | Migration excess | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total increase or decrease | Percentage proportion | Natural increase or decrease | Inward | Outward | ||
| 1965 | 181,130 | — 950 | — 0.52% | + 658 | — | 1,608 |
| 1966 | 180,200 | — 930 | — 0.51% | + 432 | — | 1,362 |
| 1967 | 179,040 | — 1,160 | — 0.64% | + 404 | — | 1,564 |
| 1968 | 177,130 | — 1,910 | — 1.15% | + 140 | — | 2,050 |
| 1969 | 176,600 | — 530 | — 0.42% | + 221 | — | 751 |
| 1970 | 174,550 | — 2,050 | —1.17% | + 25 | — | 2,075 |
BIRTHS
During the year 2,396 live births were registered (a decrease of 103 compared
with 1969) giving a live birth rate of 13.7 per 1,000 of the population or 13.8 when
adjusted by the birth comparability factor. The latter makes allowances for differences
in the age and sex distribution of the population throughout the country. The birth
rate for England and Wales was 16.0.
DEATHS
The number of deaths registered in 1970 was 2,371 (an increase of 93 compared
with 1969) giving a, death rate of 13.6 per 1,000 of the population or 11.3 when
adjusted by the comparability factor. The death rate for England and Wales was 11.7.
The table on pages 10 and 11 shows the distribution of deaths by age and cause.
Main Causes of Death
An analysis of the death returns reveals the following main causes of death :
| Disease | Percentage of total deaths | Death rate per 1,000 of the population |
|---|---|---|
| Diseases of heart and circulatory system | 38.17 | 5.17 |
| Cancer | 23.75 | 3.22 |
| Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases | 14.21 | 1.93 |
| Vascular lesions of nervous system | 10.80 | 1.46 |
| Accidents, Violence | 3.71 | 0.50 |
INFANT MORTALITY
During the year there were 35 deaths of infants under one year of age, a decrease
of 9 on the previous year. The infant mortality rate was 15 per 1,000 live births
compared with 18 for England and Wales.
An analysis of the causes of death is shown on page 9.
A major proportion of the deaths—71.4% —occurred in the first four weeks of
life. As expected prematurity, bronchitis and bronchopneumonia, respiratory distress
syndrome, etc., took a high toll.
MATERNAL MORTALITY
There were no recorded maternal deaths during the year.
8