View report page

Mortality. The number of deaths increased from eight
hundred and fifteen to eight hundred and seventy six. The
principal causes of death were diseases of the heart and
circulation (41.1 per cent) and Cancer (17.6 per cent). Deaths
from Bronchitis increased from thirty five to sixty five. There
were one hundred and forty eight deaths from coronary diseases,
an increase of ten. Twenty deaths were due to accidents. Seven
were related to motor vehicles. Deaths from digestive diseases
rose from eleven to eighteen.
Epidemiology as a science is applicable to the study of
constitutional diseases and accidents. The results of research
can be applied to prevent premature death. Many of the stresses
which cause coronary diseases, digestive diseases and mental
illness could be avoided and many accidents could be prevented
by measures based on epidemiological studies. The cause of
cancer is unknown but contributory factors could be eliminated.,
There is statistical correlation between cancer of the lung and
the smoking of cigarettes. The significance of this finding
requires wide recognition.
DEATHS FROM CANCER OF THE LUNG 1950 to 1956
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956
Males 26 15 29 36 35 26 28
Females 3 8 7 3 3 6 3
Total 29 23 36 39 38 32 31
Maternal Mortality. There was no maternal death. The
maternal mortality rate for England and Wales was 0.56 per
thousand total births.
Infantile Mortality. The infantile mortality rate was
16.6 per thousand live births, compared with 19.0 per thousand
live births in 1955. There were fifteen deaths of infants under
one year, compared with seventeen deaths in 1955, Of the fifteen
deaths, thirteen occurred in the neo~natal period within one
month of birth, as is shown in the following table of causes
and age groups.