View report page

Annual Report on the Health and Sanitary
Condition of the City of Westminster,
19 06.
To the
Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors
of the City of Westminster.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit to you my Annual Report on the
Health and Sanitary Condition of the City of Westminster during the
year 1906.
Returns required by the Local Government Board, and particulars
relating to Factories and Workshops required by the Home
Office, are incorporated therein.
The year was somewhat peculiar in the meteorological conditions
which obtained, and these had a distant effect upon the health of the
people. To most the conditions were beneficial, but as they favoured
the development of epidemic diarrhoea, scarlet fever and other complaints
of this class, their effect was bad for young children. Notwithstanding
some increase in infantile deaths from these causes, the death
rate for Westminster was the lowest yet recorded.
Considerable interest has been taken in the subject of infant
mortality. Perhaps the most interesting circumstance of the year, from
a hygienic point of view, was a Conference held at Caxton Hall to
consider its causes and the best means to be taken for its diminution.
I submit particulars bearing on the question, which seem to show that
the presence or absence of care and cleanliness on the part of those in
charge of infants, is the most important factor to be considered.
The rainfall throughout the whole country in 1906 was an average
one, but in the Thames Valley it was only 96 per cent.of the average
fall of the previous 30 years; in 1905 the fall (22.3) was only 90 per
cent. of the average. The total rainfall in Westminster was 24.27
inches.