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To the Worshipful the Mayor, Alderman and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury.
MR MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present to you my annual report for 1960 and
in so doing I have tried to continue my report for 1955 in which I
outlined the progress in the conditions for Health in Finsbury since
the war and in particular during the past five years, by referring to
the progress made since then
In my report for 1956,, I incorporated a short account abstracted
from the first annual report that I had been able to trace, namely
that of the Medical Officer of Health for the Vestry of St James for
1856, exactly a hundred years before, to illustrate the remarkable
changes that had transformed the District. Even in the past five
years, many further changes have been brought about in the outward
appearance of the Borough, by the demolition of much slum property,
the clearance of sites and by new and renovated buildings of various
kinds Not only has this occurred in outward appearances but possibly
consequent upon them there has been, I believe,, a subtle change
difficult to describe in the character of the Borough
VITAL STATISTICS
The population has continued to fall and in 1960 was estimated to
be 33,710,
The Birth Rate has varied slightly with an average of about 17 1
which was the rate for 1960,, whereas the National rate was only
16 1 in 1956 but has gradually risen to an identical rate as
that in Finsbury.
The Death Rate nas remained well below the National figure and
has not varied greatly, for 1960 it was 10.1.
In my report for 1957 I was abie to comment on the Registrar
General decennial report which shewed Finsbury to have third
lowest Infant Mortality Rate in the country for the years 1950
1953 1 am happy to report now that this rate has fallen yet
further, and for 1960 only 15 6, and must be among the very
lowest, and contrasts with the National rate of 21 7
I have elsewnere in the report referred to certain causes which
have been responsible for a proportionately nigh, ana others for a
proportionately low, death rate in Finsbury,during the last five
years, I should like to mention here three causes of a high death
rate, which give rise to disquiet:>
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