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6
The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Bethnal Green.
Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the
state of the Public Health in the Borough for the year 1947 in
an abridged form.
The Vital Statistics of the Borough compare favourably
with the national figures as set out in the table on page 9.
The Infant Mortality rate of 45 is slightly up from last year
but it is hoped that this slight rise will be ironed out in the
future and that the downward trend of this rate in recent years
will be continued. The Birth rate of 23 is slightly higher
than last year and again stresses the need for more maternity
bed accommodation than has in the past been available. The
Death rate of 13.8 remains much the same and calls for no
particular comment.
During the year an epidemic of Poliomyelitis occurred
in this country which fortunately was less prevalent in Bethnal
Green than in many districts. I shall make special comment
on this disease later in my report. Notifications of infectious
disease numbered 1,003, a considerable reduction from last
year. There was a reduction in cases of Diphtheria, Scarlet
Fever and Measles but a slight increase in Whooping Cough
and Tuberculosis. One death occurred from Diphtheria in a
child who had not been immunised. Scarlet Fever, Measles
and Whooping Cough continued, as in recent years, to be of a
mild type and only in exceptional cases was it necessary to
recommend removal to hospital.
During the year the Diphtheria Immunisation Scheme was
further extended and publicised with the result that a further
clinic for this purpose will require to be established. Arrangements
have been made to extend the Diphtheria Immunisation
Scheme to Whooping Cough and, in suitable cases, to combine
this protection with Diphtheria. It has been necessary to