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7
DEATHS
The total number of deaths was 2,831 giving a crude death rate of 10.1 per thousand population.
When the comparability factor is applied, the standardised rate is 11.1, slightly below the provisional rate
for England and Wales which was 11.6. 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,
(heart disease, hypertensive disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc.) continue to be the leading cause of death
with a rate of 4.9, followed by malignant neoplasms with a rate of 2.3.
Infectious Diseases
Three men and one woman died from tuberculosis of the respiratory system and late effects of
respiratory tuberculosis. A girl aged 15 years died from infective hapatitis associated with leukaemia. 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 sixty-four men and 43 women died compared with 155 men and 34 women in 1970.
On request, the Department distributed literature on the relationship between smoking and lung cancer to
schools, youth clubs and other organisations. Posters were displayed in clinics and health centres and literature
was available. The display of posters in the waiting rooms and corridors at the Central Middlesex Hospital
continued, and these were changed bi-monthly.
Bronchitis and Emphysema
Ninety-nine men and 43 women died from bronchitis and emphysema compared with 100 men and
45 women in 1970. The sex difference in numbers of deaths is probably related to the heavier smoking habits
of men and to a lesser extent their working conditions.
Abortion and other Complications of Pregnancy
It is pleasing to report that there was only one maternal death giving a rate of 0.20 per thousand
total live and stillbirths, compared with 5 deaths and a rate of 0.94 in 1970. The provisional rate for
England and Wales was 0.17 per thousand total live and stillbirths.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Thirty-one residents died as a result of accidents involving motor vehicles (16 males, 15 females).
All Other Accidents
Twenty-one males and 15 females died as a result of other accidents, the commonest causes being
falls at home and at work, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug overdose, burns and inhalation of fire fumes,
and drowning. Nearly 45 per cent of the deaths were among children under 5 and people over 65 years. (5
children and 11 over 65 years).
Suicides
Twelve men and 16 women committed suicide or died from self inflicted injuries.
TNFANT MORTALITY
In 1971, 103 children died in the first year of life—51 in the first week and another 10 in the first
month. There was an increase in the infant mortality rate compared with 1970 from 17.2 per 1,000 live births
to 20.9 which was slightly above the provisional figure for England and Wales (18.0). The perinatal mortality
(stillbirths and deaths under one week combined per 1,000 live and stillbirths) also increased slightly from
23.9 to 25.0 above the provisional figure for England and Wales which was 22.0.
Causes of Death (Table 3)
The main causes of infant mortality were birth injury, difficult labour and other anoxic and hypoxic
conditions. Twenty-two babies died in the first week of life and two in the second.
Twenty-one babies died of other perinatal causes, eighteen of these deaths were due to prematurity.
Pneumonia and other diseases of the respiratory system caused 23 deaths.
There were 3 deaths 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 20 deaths from congenital anomalies, one from leukaemia, one from avitaminoses,
one from other endocrine etc. diseases, one from diseases of nervous system, 4 from symptoms and ill-defined
conditions, one from an accident (inhalation of fire fumes) and three from all other external causes (one
infanticide and two manslaughter).
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 play an invaluable role in
health education and 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 1970 and 1971 is shown in Table 4.