View report page

4
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF CHELSEA
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
King's Road,
CHELSEA, S.W.3.
July, 1958.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea..
Your Worship, My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have much pleasure in presenting my annual report for the year
ended 31st December, 1957.
The population of the Borough continues to decline, the RegistrarGeneral's
estimate (for mid-year) being 50,600 - 470 less than in 1956
(51,070).
The number of births registered was 738, 99 fewer than in 1956,
the comparative rates being 14.6 and 16.4 Deaths of Chelsea residents
totalled 750, 65 less than in the preceding year (815), and presenting
a rate of 14.8. Infant Mortality again declined, sixteen deaths under
the age of one year being recorded, the rate of 21.7 comparing with 25.1
in 1956. It is also pleasing to report that no deaths were attributed
to causes associated with pregnancy or childbirth.
Infectious Diseases notifications received totalled 682, and were
181 below the aggregate of 1956 (863). It is particularly gratifying
to note that Sonne Dysentery cases fell from 346 to 70, a ratio of five
to one when comparing the last two years. Measles sufferers, however,
rose from 183 to 406.
A more satisfactory position is revealed in connection with Food
Poisoning, only thirteen cases being_ brought to the notice of the
Public Health Department. In 1956, eighty-five notifications were
investigated. Every opportunity is taken by the Council's Public Health
Inspectors to advance hygienic conditions in food manufacturing and
retailing premises, hotels, restaurants, &c., whilst the general public
is constantly reminded that it must co-operate in securing the best
possible standards.
The scope of the Clean Air Act, 1956, is now widening, further
provisions having become operative since my previous report, and serious
consideration is being given to the inception of a smoke control area,
Mr. T. McLachlan, the Public Analyst, examined four hundred samples
of Food and Drugs during the year, and advised that in twenty-eight
instances (7.0%) adulteration, labelling inaccuracies, or misdescriptions,