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 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
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POPULATION
The Registrar General's estimate of mid-year population for the Borough was 174,310, which is a decrease of 240 compared with 1970. The natural increase (excess of births over deaths) was 57.
| Year | Population | Population trend | Migration excess | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total increase or decrease | Percentage proportion | Natural increase or decrease | Inward | Outward | ||
| 1965 | 181,130 | - 950 | + 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 |
| 1971 | 174,310 | - 240 | -0.14% | + 57 | — | 297 |
BIRTHS
During the year 2,300 live births were registered (a decrease of 96 compared with
1970) giving a live birth rate of 13.2 per 1,000 of the population or 13.3 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 live birth rate for
England and Wales was 16.0.
DEATHS
The number of deaths registered in 1971 was 2,243 (a decrease of 128 compared
with 1970) giving a death rate of 12.9 per 1,000 of the population or 10.7 when adjusted
by the comparability factor. The death rate for England and Wales was 11.6.
The tables on pages 9 and 10 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 | 39.37 | 5.06 |
| Cancer | 22.78 | 2.93 |
| Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases | 10.92 | 1.41 |
| Vascular lesions of nervous system | 13.78 | l.77 |
| Accidents, Violence | 3.57 | 0.46 |
INFANT MORTALITY
During the year there were 39 deaths of infants under one year of age, an increase
of 4 on the previous year. The infant mortality rate was 17 per 1,000 live births compared
with 18 for England and Wales.
A major proportion of the deaths —71.8%— occurred in the first four weeks of
life.
MATERNAL MORTALITY
There were four recorded maternal deaths during the year.
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