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6
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Bethnal Green, E.2.
26th May, 1931.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit herewith my annual report
relative to the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal
Green.
The report for the year 1930 is more comprehensive than
those of the preceding four years in accordance with the
instructions of the Ministry of Health that the report shall
take the form of a survey report every fifth year.
The general death rate at all ages from all causes was
*11.1 per thousand of the population, as against 13·7 for the year
1929 and 11·7 for 1928.
The birth rate again shows a slight decrease, being *17·7
against 18.6 per thousand of the population.
It is gratifying to be able to report a continued fall in
the infant mortality rate, the figure being 60·3 per thousand
births against 64·4 in 1929. This result, though undoubtedly
calling for congratulation, should not tempt us to rest on our
oars, but, on the other hand, since success in public health is
progress, should encourage us to still greater efforts.
The total number of notifiable diseases occurring during
the year was 3,188. Of this number smallpox accounted for
945 and chicken pox 805. The number of cases of notifiable
disease, not including the two latter, was 1,438, as against 1,520
the previous year. Smallpox receives fuller consideration elsewhere.
The continued and unremitting vigilance of the Sanitary
Inspectors and the special Food Inspectors in their particular
spheres has been successful in maintaining a desirably high
standard of work.
The housing problem remains difficult and is more fully
discussed elsewhere.