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2
Public 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 1937. 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 12.6 is 0.1 greater than the previous
year.
There were four maternal deaths as compared with three
in the previous year. The rate was equal to 2.03, whereas
the rate for the whole country was 3.1.
The infantile mortality rate has increased from 60 to 68
per 1,000 births.
The rate for the County of London decreased from 66
to 60 per 1,000 births.
I very much regret this increase in the infantile mortality
rate, due to a very large increase in the number of deaths
of premature babies.
The efforts of your Council have been, as in the past,
considerably augmented by those of the Voluntary Societies
engaged in this branch of the Public Health Services of
the Borough.
Towards the end of the year the Maternity and Child
Welfare Committee discussed the advisability of taking over
the voluntary Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough. It
was felt that, whilst being fully appreciative of the excellent
work and whole-hearted services given by these associations, the time had come when the Council should assume