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7
Public Health Office,
Harley College,
Bow Road, E.3.
May, 1937.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit my report upon the health of the Metropolitan
Borough of Poplar for the year 1936.
Statistics.—Once again the Registrar-General's estimate of the
population is lower than we anticipated. His estimate of 140,300 is
3,400 less than that for the previous year.
There was a slight decrease in the birth rate, but, on the other hand,
there was a slight increase in the death rate, which was a little higher
than the average for the past ten years.
Respiratory diseases, measles, violence and diarrhoea contributed
mainly to the increased general death rate and, apart from violence,
also contributed to the higher infant mortality rate.
The cold, damp and sunless earlier months of the year were probably
responsible for the increase in respiratory diseases and, as mentioned
in the body of the report, deaths from diarrhoeal diseases (other than
dysentery and the typhoid group) were more numerous than usual, but
an increase in these was also recorded in London generally.
Infectious Disease.—Diphtheria showed a slight increase on the
previous year, as did Scarlet Fever to a rather greater extent, and there
was a definite increase in the number of cases of primary pneumonia.
Housing.—Apart from the general work under the Housing Act—
the inspection, etc., of underground rooms, the abatement of overcrowding
which has been undertaken by the London County Council—various
"areas" were the subject of representations either to the Borough Council
or to the London County Council by Officers of the County Council.
Public Inquiries into six Poplar "areas" which had been represented
to the London County Council were held and evidence in support of the
London County Council was given. These "areas'' together with others
are referred to in detail in the Housing Section of this report.