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
Merton and Morden 1963
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
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VITAL STATISTICS
Population
The Registrar-General's mid-year estimate of the home population
is given as 67,090. This is 470 less than for the previous year and
conforms to the trend in the reduction of our local population over the
past ten years.
All rates used in this report are based on the Registrar-General's
figures.
Births
868 live births were registered in the area during the year, which is
exactly the same number as were registered in the previous year. The
birth rate at 12.9 per thousand of the population, comparing closely
with the figure for the previous year of 12.8.
Stillbirths numbered 12 (7 males and 5 females), being one more
than in the previous year, giving a rate of 13.6 per 1,000 total births.
Illegitimate live births registered during the year numbered 53
(29 males and 24 females) compared with 52 in the preceding year. Of
the 12 stillbirths registered one was illegitimate.
Deaths
Deaths registered during the year numbered 825 (425 males and
400 females), giving a rate of 12.2 per 1,000 population. This compares
with a total of 798 for 1962, giving a rate of 11.8 per 1,000 population.
The four principal causes of death were as follows:—
| Number of Deaths | Percentage of total deaths | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Diseases of the heart and circula-latory system | 340 | 41% |
| (b) | Cancer | 163 | 19% |
| Vascular lesions of nervous system | 89 | 10% | |
| Diseases of the respiratory system | 118 | 14% | |
| 710 | 86% | ||
Maternal Mortality
No deaths in childbirth, either from puerperal sepsis or other
maternal causes, were recorded during the year. The maternal mortality
rate for England and Wales per thousand live and still births was 0.28.
Infant Mortality
During 1963 there were 15 deaths among infants under one year
of age, giving a mortality rate of 17.2 per thousand live births, as
compared with 12 deaths in 1962, giving a rate of 13.8 per thousand
live births.
The number of neo-natal deaths (i.e. those occurring during the
first four weeks of life) was 11, giving a neo-natal death rate of 12.6
per thousand live births, as compared with 8 deaths in the preceding
year, giving a rate of 9.2 per thousand live births.
Natural Increase
The natural increase of births over deaths during the year was 43,
compared with 70 for the year 1962.
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