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9
Against the apparent improvement in 1926 as
compared with 1925, must be set the fact that owing to
the restrictions of unemployment benefit there were
probably fewer registrations by unemployed persons.
Even ignoring this, the figures for 1926, so far as it
is possible to analyse them, suggest that at least 10
per cent of the normally employed population was
unemployed during the year. The actual percentage
may easily have been much higher, and the Poor
Law figures given previously are probably a much
truer guide to the distress in the borough.
PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENDITURE.
The exceedingly small cost of the local Public
Health services is shown by the latest available
figures for the financial year 1925-6, when the total
expenditure of the Public Health Committee was
£14,244, or 2s. 4½d. per head of the population, and
equivalent to a rate of 6d. in the £1. The New York
State Department of Health has the striking statement
on its envelopes "Public Health is purchaseable.
Within natural limitations any community can
determine its own death rate." The results achieved
by progressive public health administration in Bethnal
Green, as illustrated by the graphs on p.25, show
that this is largely true. Bethnal Green is handicapped
in engaging in any expensive health scheme by its
low rateable value, but its modest expenditure and
substantial achievements compare favourably with
those of many better-circumstanced districts.
OTHER HEALTH SERVICES.
Owing to the slow and unsystematic manner in
which our health organization has been developed,
there are many important health services outside the
ambit of the Borough Council, which is the local