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7
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Pancras Road, N.W. 1.
July, 1919.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of St. Pancras.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the Sixty-third Annual Report
on the vital statistics and sanitary condition of the Sanitary District of
St. Pancras, including particulars of the year's work of the Public Health
Department. This is the sixth annual report which it has been ray duty to
submit. The abridgement which has been made in the report in recent years
with a view to economy has been continued.
The year has been marked by a continued fall in the birth-rate, and an
unusual increase in the death-rate as a result of the outbreak of influenza in
the latter half of the year. The effect of these two factors has been that
for the first time within record the deaths for the year have actually exceeded
in number the births, the excess of deaths being roughly 600. The factors
which increased the deaths and diminished the births may both be considered
to be of a temporary character, though this is more uncertain in the case of
the births. The fact that there is a cessation of the natural increase in
population which has always obtained is an additional reason for pressing forward
all measures making for improved public health, whether amongst
children or adults. The particulars as to the decreased birth-rate and the
mortality from influenza will be found in the body of this report.
Apart from the influenza deaths the mortality rates were not exceptionally
high, when the long continued war conditions are taken into consideration.
It may be said that the influenza epidemic constituted the only exception to
the statement that was made in last year's report that the civilian mortality
had not seriously increased during the war.
The most important step taken during the year in connection with public
health administration was the assumption by the Borough Council of a large
part of the cost of the Maternity and Child Welfare work done at and in
connection with the voluntary centres. This has previously been borne by
the voluntary funds, with the help of Government grants. The Council now pay
the salaries and fees of the medical officers and trained workers at the centres, as
well as the rental of their premises. There was also started during the year
a Municipal Dental Clinic in connection with Maternity and Child Welfare.
In addition, new responsibility has been assumed by the Council in regard to
midwifery, hospital accommodation for young children, and the supply of
milk in cases of necessity to mothers and young children. Details of this new
work will be found in the report.