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3
Town Hall,
Kensington, W.8.
15th June, 1933.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Royal Borough of Kensington.
My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my annual report for 1932 upon the state of the public health
in Kensington.
During the previous year, medical inspectors of the Ministry of Health made a general survey
of the public health services provided by the borough council, and in July last a communication
was received from the Ministry in which there appear the following paragraphs :—
" It appears that, so far as can be judged from a general survey, a reasonable, and in
some instances, a high standard of efficiency and progress is being maintained in the discharge
by the council of their functions in relation to public health. In particular, the Minister
notes with interest the arrangements made by the council to provide treatment for children
suffering from rheumatism and to investigate the causes of acute rheumatism ; to investigate
methods of taking samples of milk for bacteriological purposes ; to standardise the receptacles
for the storage of refuse ; to stimulate interest in health questions generally ; and to maintain
close co.operation with the voluntary associations which provide maternity and child welfare
services in the borough.
He (the Minister) has no doubt that in any general review of their expenditure the council
will fully appreciate the need for special consideration of services such as those for attending
to the health of mothers and children which are urgently required on grounds of public health,
and will keep under constant review the manner in which they can best assist in securing the
maintenance of these services at an adequate standard, a matter which the continuing high
infant mortality rate in Kensington renders of special importance."
The birth rate for the year under review was 12.9 per 1,000 living, which is the lowest recorded
in Kensington. The death rate of 13.6 per 1,000 living was 0.4 below the rate for the preceding
year.
There were 98 deaths of infants under the age of twelve months for every 1,000 children born.
This is the highest rate in the borough since 1921. At the present time a detailed investigation is
being made into the factors contributing to this high rate, but it is safe to say that the difficult
economic conditions through which the nation has passed must have played a definite part.
There was the unusual number of 415 cases of diphtheria notified during the year, but at no
period was the disease prevalent in epidemic form ; and, although the majority of the cases occurred
in the poorer areas, all parts of the borough were affected.
Notwithstanding the fact that there were 1,133 cases of smallpox notified in London during
the year, there was only one case reported in the borough. In this connection, it should be mentioned
that whilst the latest figures show that 40.1 per cent. of the children in England and Wales are vac
cinated within the first twelve months of life, the figure in Kensington is over 70 per cent. The high
degree of immunity in Kensington indicated by this percentage of infants vaccinated is an important
factor in the freedom which the borough has enjoyed for so long. In the past six years there
have been in London 9,270 notified cases of smallpox and the total number in Kensington has been
only 12.
The condition of the housing accommodation of the working classes has received a good deal
of attention during the past twelve months and the housing section of this report contains a brief
summary of surveys which have been made and particulars of the efforts which the council have
made to secure legislation to enable them to obtain a higher standard of habitability than they have
been able to obtain under existing legislation.
The presentation of this report affords me an opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the
full measure of support which has been accorded to me by the Mayor, the Chairmen and ViceChairmen
of the various committees, and all members of the council. I wish specially to thank the
Town Clerk and the other chief officers, particularly at the present time, for the housing activities
of the council during the past year involved a greater strain on the resources of the public health
department than had hitherto been experienced, and the support received from them proved invaluable.
The staff of the department have worked loyally during a heavy year, and have shown
great enthusiasm in their endeavour to give efficient service to the council.