View report page

6
for England and Wales, which was 11.7. The number of deaths from all causes is shown in Table 1. The main
causes of death and rates per thousand population are shown in Table 2. Diseases of the circulatory system
(active rheumatic fever, heart disease, hypertensive disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc.) continue to be the
leading cause of death with a rate of 4.8, followed by malignant neoplasms with a rate of 2.5.
Infectious Diseases
Three men and four women died from tuberculosis of the respiratory system and late effects of
respiratory tuberculosis. There were no deaths from any other notifiable disease.
Cancer of the Lung and Bronchus
Once again cancer of the lung and bronchus continued to be the commonest cause of fatal malignant
disease. One hundred and fifty-five men and 34 women died compared with 158 men and 44 women in
1969. The Department distributed a considerable amount of literature on the relationship between smoking
and lung cancer to schools, youth clubs and other organisations. Posters were displayed in clinics and
literature was available. In response to a request from the Central Middlesex Hospital, posters were displayed
in the hospital waiting rooms and corridors in November and these posters will be changed bi-monthly.
Bronchitis and Emphysema
One hundred men and 45 women died from bronchitis and emphysema compared with 116 men and
49 women in 1969. The sex difference in numbers of deaths is probably related to the heavier smoking habits
of middle-aged and elderly men and to a lesser extent conditions of dust, smoke and fumes at work.
Abortion and Other Complications of Pregnancy
There were 5 maternal deaths, giving a rate of 0.94 per thousand (total live and stillbirths), compared
with 4 deaths and a rate of 0.72 in 1969. The provisional rate for England and Wales was 0.18
per thousand total live and stillbirths.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Thirty-two residents died as a result of accidents involving motor vehicles (22 males, 10 females).
All Other Accidents
Twenty-five males and 27 females died as a result of other accidents, the commonest causes being
falls at home and at work, burns and inhalation of fire fumes, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose
and drowning. More than 50 per cent of the deaths were among children under 5 and people over 65 years
(12 children and 18 over 65 years).
Suicides
Twelve men and 9 women committed suicide or died from self-inflicted injuries.
INFANT MORTALITY
In 1970, 90 children died in the first year of life—59 in the first week and another 7 in the first
month. There was a decrease in the infant mortality rate compared with 1969, from 19.1 per 1,000 live births
to 17.2, which was slightly below the provisional figure for England and Wales (18.0). The perinatal mortality rate
(stillbirths and deaths under one week combined per 1,000 live and stillbirths) also decreased slightly from
24.3 to 23.9, a little above the provisional figure for England and Wales, which was 23.0.
Causes of Death (Table 3)
The main cause of infant mortality was birth injury, difficult labour and other anoxic and hypoxic
conditions. Twenty-seven babies died in the first week of life and 2 in the second.
Seventeen babies died of other causes of perinatal mortality. Eleven of these deaths were due to
prematurity.
Pneumonia and other diseases of the respiratory system caused 12 deaths. Antibiotics and
improved environmental conditions have decreased the number of deaths from these causes considerably
over the past few years.
Once again there was only 1 death from enteritis and other diarrhoeal diseases. There is no doubt
that the valuable educational work done by the health visitors has contributed to this low death rate.
There were 18 deaths from congenital anomalies, 6 from intestinal obstruction, hernia and other
diseases of the digestive system, 6 from miscellaneous causes, and 2 from accidents, both children being
involved in fires.
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
Improved housing conditions and general standard of living, together with modern medicine and
vaccines have played an important part towards better health and reduction in the number of cases of
notifiable disease in the Borough. Health Visitors and Public Health Inspectors have played an invaluable
role in health education and in improving hygiene, and where a disease has been notified, prompt action and
advice has no doubt prevented it from becoming widespread.
A summary of notified and confirmed cases for 1969 and 1970 is shown in Table 4.
Cholera
There were no cases in the Borough, but 8 people were put under surveillance after returning from
endemic areas without valid vaccination certificates.