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Town Hall,
Kensington, W.8.
May 20th, 1924.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Royal Borough of Kensington.
Ladies and Gentlemen,—
I have the honour to submit, for your information, my Annual Report upon the state of the
Public Health in Kensington, and a record of the administrative work carried out in the Public
Health Department for the year 1923, together with the vital statistics of the Borough.
A summary of the work done and action taken under the Factory and Workshops Acts is
included.
The year under review was a satisfactory one from the Public Health standpoint.
The death rate was 12.3 per 1,000 living. This compares favourably with the averagerate for
the Borough for the present century, which is 14.2. Indeed, the rate for 1923 is, with the exception
of that of i2T for the year 1910, the lowest recorded in the history of the Borough.
The number of deaths of infants under the age of 12 months for every 1,000 births was 70 as
against 82 in ]922 and 110 in 1921. This is the lowest figure for infantile mortality which has
been reached in Kensington, and is one which must give considerable satisfaction to the Council
and the various voluntary bodies interested in the Maternity and Child Welfare movement.
The deaths from tuberculosis showed, as in recent years, a steady decrease in number, and
the rate of 85 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants for 1923 is the lowest on record.
The year was remarkable for the very low incidence of scarlet fever and diphtheria; indeed,
there was no outbreak of any infectious disease in the Borough which could be described as
epidemic in form.
There are two figures which cause anxiety, one is in regard to cancer and the other in regard
to maternal mortality.
The deaths from cancer number 269, this being the highest figure for any one year in
Kensington.
The maternal mortality rate (the number of deaths of mothers as a result of diseases or
accidents associated with child-birth for every 1,000 births) was 5.4, which is the highest figure
recorded in any year of the present century. The question receives special consideration on
page 12 of this report.
From the administrative point of view, the most important feature of the year has been the
great activity in regard to house repairs and improvements in the housing conditions in the poorer
parts of the Borough. The condition of the housing accommodation of the working class has
received a good deal of attention both inside and outside the Council during the past twelve months
and, therefore, I beg to call special attention to a detailed statement showing the enormous volume
of housing work which was conducted by the Council in 1923 and the results obtained. The
statement appears on pages 70 to 77 of this report.
It is appropriate that in presenting this report I should express my appreciation of the full
measure of support which has been accorded to me by the Mayor, the Chairmen and
Vice-Chairmen of the various Committees, all members of the Council, and the Chief Officers of
other Departments, and of thanking the staff of the Public Health Department for their efficient
service and loyal co-operation throughout the year.