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2
Pcblio Health Department ,
Town Hall,
Hammersmith, W 6
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.
Ladies and Gentlemen,—I beg to present my Annual
Report for the Year 1935. The report deals with the vital
statistics, and with the work carried out under the direction
of your Council during the year. The statistical tables
included relate to the Public Health of the Borough.
The death-rate of 11.9 being 1.0 less than the previous
year.
The infantile mortality rate has decreased from 77 to 70
per 1,000 births.
The lowest rate was 61 per 1,000 births in 1927.
Generally speaking there was a decrease in the rates of
nearly every London Borough.
The rate for the County of London decreased from 67 to
58 per 1,000 births.
The infantile mortality rate of the Borough is very unsatisfactory—the
rate being 12 per thousand greater than
the average for London.
In 23 Boroughs the infantile mortality rate ranges
between 43 and 69—there being only 5 Boroughs with a
higher mortality rate than Hammersmith.
This question is therefore one which calls for careful
consideration.
In my opinion the Health Visiting staff of this Council is
too small and home visitation, as a consequence, is not
being carried out as efficiently as it should be.
This is a very important part of the Health Visitors' work
and it is essential that provision should be made for this to
be carried out.
During the year your Council decided to cancel the
arrangements made for the admission of maternity cases
to "Invermead," as it was felt that the provisions made,
for the reception and treatment of maternity cases at the
Hammersmith Hospital, were such that Hammersmith
mothers should be encouraged to seek admission thereto.