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THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Kensington, W.
30th January, 1909.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN, AND COUNCILLORS.
Sir, and Gentlemen,
I beg to present the Annual Report on the Health of the Borough for the year 1908.
Last July, owing to the death of your late distinguished Medical Officer of Health,
Dr. T. Orme Dudfield, I was appointed Acting Medical Officer of Health. This position I held
until the 31st January of this year.
I am, consequently, accountable for that portion of the report which deals with the second
half of the year, and have incorporated the reports dealing with the work of the department for the
earlier months of the year. As, however, any consideration of the vital statistics of the borough
must be those of a complete year, I hold myself responsible for all the statistics contained in the
report.
It is very pleasing to have to record a dimiilution in the death-rate, which this year is 13.0
per 1,000, being the lowest yet recorded.
The infantile mortality also shows an improvement, being the lowest for the last three
years, the rate being 122 per 1,000.
The zymotic death-rate also shows an improvement as compared with former years.
The birth-rate for the year was 19.0 per 1,000 (the same as in 1907) thus showing a
continuous decline since 1868, in which year it was 33T per 1,000 persons living. Compared with
26.5, the corresponding figure for England and Wales (1908), the rate is remarkably low.
As regards general sanitary administration, every endeavour has been made to maintain the
standard of the work of the department at the same high level of efficiency as it has attained in
the past.
Finally, I take this opportunity of expressing my grateful appreciation of the support and
assistance I have received from the Chairmen of Committees and Members of the Council, during my
tenure of office, and of acknowledging the work and loyal co-operation of the staff of the Department,
I am, Sir and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM J. CORBETT,
Acting Medical Officcr of Health.