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Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Haverstock Hill,
Hampstead, N.W. 3.
18th March, 1924.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report for the
year 1923.
It is prepared in accordance with the directions contained in
Circular 451, dated 15th December, 1923, of the Ministry of Health;
and the order of the Sections is that suggested in the Ministry's
Circular. Also following the instructions of Circular 269, dated 28th
December, 1921, this Report is compiled as an Ordinary Report, and
its shortness and conciseness results from the endeavour to comply with
the Ministry's suggestion that it should be published not later than the
middle of April.
Our statistics for the year will be found summarised on page 5,
and a comparison with last year shows that the health of the Borough
has been well maintained, both the general death rate and the infantile
death rate showing a reduction. Especially is this marked in the
infantile mortality rate, which reached the phenomenally low figure of
42 per 1000 births. This is the lowest we have ever attained; it is
the lowest in London, and is a rate more favourable than I should
have conceived possible a few years ago.
I would like to take the opportunity of expressing my thanks to
the Council, especially to the Chairmen and Members of the Public
Health, Housing, and Maternity and Child Welfare Committees, for
the support and sympathetic consideration they have afforded me.
I desire also to place on record my appreciation of the work of the
Staff of the Department, who have at all times accorded me their loyal
and unselfish co-operation.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
FRANK E. SCRASE,
Medical Officer of Health.