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Public Health Department,
Poplar Town Hall,
Bow Road, E. 3.
Telephone No. ADV. 4414
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF THE
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF POPLAR.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the health and sanitary
circumstances of the Borough during the year 1958.
Although the general standard of health of the inhabitants of the Borough
has remained satisfactory distress is still caused by the continued shortage of
satisfactory housing accommodation. It is of interest to note that although the
birth rate has increased slightly, the infant mortality rate has increased by over
50% for which there is no adequate explanation.
The Council are still faced with the problem of caravan dwellers on cleared
sites in the district on which building has not yet commenced. Despite constant
vigilance and the service of Notices on the trespassers, there still exists one
large site scheduled for an open space in the London Development plan which is our
main source of concern.
The extreme difficulty of recruiting Public Health Inspectors has led to
restrictions in the activity of the department. Despite this,prelim inary surveys
in connection with "Smoke Control" areas under the Clean Air Act were made on six
areas to which reference is made in the body of the report.
Investigation of the pollution of the river has continued and the condition
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