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Public Health Department,
Poplar Town Hall,
Bow Road, E. 3.
Telephone No. ADV. 4414
TO TOE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF TOE
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 I960.
I am pleased to report that in spite of a steady decline in the population
from 73,260 (1951) to 63,340 (1960) the number of births has remained remarkably
regular, between 1,114 and 1,307 (this year 1,127).
The standard of health of the inhabitants compares favourably with previous
years with minor exceptions. Although deaths in the Borough have been rather less
than usual, deaths from lung cancer again showed an increase.
Infant mortality shows a rather disturbing increase of nearly half as much
again as last year. More than 80% of births in London take place in hospital, this
in itself carries a risk to child life from cross-infection and other factors, and
the number of coloured immigrants in the area is increasing, possibly with a low
standard of child care among some of the groups.
Whooping Cough has increased considerably on both the 1958 and 1959 figures.
The position will be kept under review and studied carefully to ascertain the
cause should the rising trends continue.
Infectious disease notifications continue to decline and show the usual
marked decrease anticipated every other year due to the fall in Measles notifications.