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2
PREFACE
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the health of
the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea for 1938.
The chief vital statistics relating to the year are as follows:—The
resident population of the Borough is estimated by the Registrar-General
at 56,050, a figure which is lower than that for last year.
The birth rate(10.2) is lower than that for last year(10.8). The
marriage rate(15.6) is higher than that for last year(15.2). The
death rate(13.5) is higher than that for London generally(11.4) and
compares with 14.1 last year. It is, perhaps, not generally realised
that over 10 per cent of the Chelsea population is made up of persons
over 65 years of age—a much higher proportion than that obtaining in
any other Metropolitan Borough—and that over one-half of all deaths in
Chelsea occur in persons over 65 years of age.
The infant mortality rate is 80 per 1,000 live births, as compared
with 59 last year.
The general improvement in the public health of the Borough continues
to be maintained.
There was an increase in the total incidence of notifiable infectious
disease during the year. The total number of notifications, excluding
duplicates, was 591, as compared with 411 last year.
A considerable increase was recorded in the number of cases of measles.
At the end of the year there were 212 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis
and 40 cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis known to be living in the
Borough—a total much lower than that for last year.
Maternity and Child Welfare work has continued to grow in extent
and usefulness. The attendances at the welfare centres were 8,071,
and 7,385 visits to homes of patients were recorded. I continue to
receive most valuable assistance from the Chelsea Health Society, and
cannot speak too highly of the efficiency of the Society's work.
Section III. of the report deals with Sanitary Administration. The
statistics indicate that constant attention is devoted to the improvement
of housing accommodation in the Borough.
As in former years, much attention has been devoted to the supervision
of food supplies.