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9
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the
Borough of Bromley.
Mr. Mayor. Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is my 29th Annual Report on the Health of Bromley and
it covers the year 1953. Except for the historical fact that 1953
was the 50th Anniversary of Bromley's Incorporation, the Public
Health year has been uneventful. The body of the report is largely
statistical and indicates the work of the Health Department during
the twelve months. The Vital Statistics show little change compared
with previous years and continue to compare favourably with
those of like Authorities.
A digest of the 1951 Census figures gives a useful form of
comparison with other neighbouring Authorities, Chislehurst and
Sidcup. and Orpington, for which 1 also act as Medical Officer of
Health. It is upon such figures as these, that one can interpret
the need towards which social and other Health Services should
be directed. From these extracted figures one notes that Bromley
has 8.2% of her population under 5 years of age, compared with
9.9% in Chislehurst and Sidcup, and 6% in Orpington, and at the
other end of the age group Bromley has 12.6% over 65 years of
age, compared with 8.1% in Chislehurst and Sidcup, and 10.4%
in Orpington. Taking Bromley figures alone, 5.266 were under
5 years of age. while there were 8.093 from 65 years and over. It
will be interesting to see how these figures will compare with the
next Census, especially as the population figure for Bromley seems
to be rather static. In the Census of 1931 7% of Bromley's
population were under 5 years of age, whereas 7.7% were over 65.