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TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR, THE ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF THE
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF PADDINGTON.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report for the year 1932 as required by
the Statutes and Orders applicable to my office.
During the year the health of the Borough continued to be generally good, and no
particular cause of death calls for special comment.
The recorded infantile mortality rate for Paddington is the highest during the last ten
years, and the three West End Boroughs, Paddington, Kensington and St. Marylebone show
infantile mortality rates in excess of any other Boroughs in London.
No precise statistical analysis is available that will completely explain this unfortunate
state of things. It is certainly not due to any lack of zeal on the part of the Council or its
staff. It is necessary to emphasise the fact that Paddington contains a number of densely
populated streets which are amongst the poorest in London, and is increasingly the resort of
migratory and poverty-stricken families from the various distressed areas of the country.
Attention may be directed to the information on pages 6 and 7 of this report, which is
abstracted from the Census returns of 1921 and 1931. The number of families living in
tenements of one, two or three rooms shows a great increase in the ten years, and this change
in the character of the population has, no doubt, had a deleterious effect on child-life.
I have again to express my appreciation of the loyal help of the staff of the Public Health
Department of the Council and to thank the members of the Public Health, Maternity and
Child Welfare, and Special Housing Committees for the support and kind consideration which
they have extended to me during the past year.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
G.E. Oates.
M.D., M.R.C.P., D.P.H.,
Medical Officer of Health.
Town Hall,
Paddington Green, W.2.
21st June, 1933.