London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Merton and Morden 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
This page requires JavaScript
POPULATION.
Registrar General's estimate, mid-year73,670
The Registrar General's estimate of the population of this
district on 30th June, 1952, was 73,670 as compared with the
1951 census figure of 74,602. This shows a decrease of 932
despite the fact that the natural increases for 1951 and 1952
were 160 and 179 respectively.
It is perhaps of interest that the natural increase, which
showed a steady decline from 734 in 1947 to 160 in 1951, has
for the first time since 1947 shown a rise over the previous
year's figure.
BIRTHS.
869 live births were registered during the year, which,
together with the 18 stillbirths, gave a total of 887 births.
The figure for live births was one less than that for
1951 but the rate was higher, 11.8 as compared with 11.7. It
would appear that the birth rate is now steady after its
gradual decline from 17.86 in 1947.
The appended table gives the figures since 1937.
| Year | No illegitimate live births | Rate per thousand live births |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 21 | 25.9 |
| 1938 | 31 | 31.3 |
| 1939 | 27 | 26.9 |
| 1940 | 29 | 29.9 |
| 1941 | 40 | 47.2 |
| 1942 | 39 | 36.5 |
| 1943 | 57 | 49.7 |
| 1944 | 49 | 42.6 |
| 1945 | 63 | 61.3 |
| 1946 | 45 | 35.7 |
| 1947 | 38 | 28.3 |
| 1948 | 42 | 38.6 |
| 1949 | 37 | 37.5 |
| 1950 | 23 | 24.5 |
| 1951 | 28 | 32.2 |
| 1952 | 28 | 32.2 |