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7
Public Health Offices,
Town Hall,
Greenwich, S.E.10.
April, 1938.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich.
Me. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the health
services of the Borough compiled in accordance with instructions
contained in Circular 1650 of the Ministry of Health.
The health of the Borough reflected in the Vital Statistics is
satisfactory. It is gratifying to record again infantile and maternal
mortality rates below the average, the figures being 50 and 1.5,
respectively. The corresponding figures for England and Wales
are 58 and 3.23.
The Birth Rate of 13.86 shows a slight favourable increase on
that recorded for the previous year.
The Death Rate of 12.05 shows a small rise as compared with
last year's figure. This is to a large extent due to a greater
mortality among the population aged 65 years and upwards. A
factor in producing this mortality was the influenza epidemic
prevalent in the first quarter of the year.
The population of the Borough shows an increase of 90 persons
according to the estimate of the Registrar General.
Housing continued to receive special attention during the year,
and reference is made in the Section on this subject to unfit areas
and dwellings dealt with. Particulars are also submitted regarding
the completion of the second part of the over-crowding survey.
In the Section devoted to sanitary circumstances the various
tables indicate that the district is kept under systematic supervision
with regard to nuisances and sanitary defects.
In previous reports reference has been made to the increasing
volume of food stuffs imported through the various wharves on the
waterfront. Two Inspectors are now allocated to the supervision of
foodstuffs in the Borough, and reference to the Section dealing
with these matters will show the quantity and quality of the work
carried out.