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Public Health Department,
Poplar Town Hall,
Bow Road, E, 3,
Telephone No ADVance 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 1962,
Last year comments were made on changes, which had occurred over the years,
in the population of the Borough, which reached its lowest, 63,340 in 1960.
As re-development proceeds and new dwellings come into occupation the population
should show a steady increase for several years as many of the new dwellings
are being occupied by recently married couples and there is a tendency for
families to be larger than hitherto. The current population is 67,340
Births
Live births continue to show an increase with the total of 1,404 during
the year, representing a rate of 20.84 per thousand,
The illegitimate birth rate is still high and the death rate amongst these
infants is higher than legitimate Still births are also slightly raised,
although, in view of the small numbers involved the significance of this is
not clear.
Deaths
Death rates are higher than last year. Those arising from cardiac
conditions show an increase of 20% over the figures for 1961, and it is noted
that these conditions are proving fatal at an earlier age.
Deaths from pneumonia were up nearly 50% This probably reflects terminal
broncho pneumonia in the elderly, Notifications for pneumonia were down considerably.
Infectious Diseases
The relatively few cases of infectious disease in the Borough are comparable
with those which one might expect in a health resort There were no
cases of poliomyelitis, diphtheria, or typhoid fever during the year; sporadic
cases of dysentery showed a num erical increase and there were 17 cases of
food poisoning, but there were no major outbreaks. Measles showed the usual
decline in the quiescent year.
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