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district. The birth-rate is also satisfactory, being for the whol
district 282 per 1,000 living, ranging from 21.5 per 1,000 for thi
North sub-district to 31.3 per 1,000 in the South-East district. Thi
infant mortality for the year was extremely low, viz., 121 per 1,001
births. This low rate is, no doubt, to be largely attributed to tbi
mild and wet summer of last year, which greatly reduced the deathi
from infant diarrhoea. The chief event from a public health point c:
view was, no doubt, the epidemic of small pox; but, in spite of thi
fact that for years vaccination had been notoriously neglected in tbi
district, the extension of the disease was kept within moderate bounds
At no time did the epidemic reach a proportion as to overstrain oi
embarras the resources of the Public Health Department to deal with
the cases notified. For years the machinery for preventing the
extension of infectious disease in the Borough has been improving (so
far as isolation or removal to hospital of patients, the disinfection
of homes, clothes, and furniture, etc., and the provision of housin;
accommodation for families while their homes are being disinfected,
can prevent the progress of infectious disease) and I am of opinion
that Hackney now stands in the fore-front of Metropolitan
Boroughs in the provision of means for dealing with epidemit
infectious disease.
I have to express my satisfaction of the way in which the Inspectors
and Clerical Staff have, on the whole, carried out the duties allotted to
them during the year.
It is also a pleasure to me to put on record my obligations to
Dr. Willoughby Kennedy, and my appreciation of the zeal and ability
he exhibited while acting as Medical Officer of Health to the Borough
from February 24th to May 3rd, 1902, during my absence through
illness.
Population and Density.—Applying the rate of increase of
population of the last decennium to the year 1902, I calculate the
population of the Borough of Hackney at the middle of 1902 to be
221,730 persons. With an area of 3,292 square acres, the density of
population is, for the whole district, 67.3 persons per square acre;