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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR
THE YEAR 1905.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Stoke Newington.
Gentlemen,
The year 1905 was a year favourable to a low mortality rate; and
the general death-rate for the Borough, which was 13.1 per thousand
for the previous year, fell to 126, the second lowest since the formation
of the Borough. There were only two Metropolitan Boroughs with
lower rates, and the rate for London generally was 15T.
I regret to have to report that the deaths among infants under
one year of age were the highest recorded since the formation of the
Borough. The rate of 124.7 is exceeded by 16 other Metropolitan
Boroughs, but it is in excess of the rate in 12 other Boroughs. It is a
very unsatisfactory feature in the vital statistics of Stoke Newington,
and it is one which calls for increased efforts to stem the wastage of
infant lives which it denotes. These efforts will be made; and one of
the most hopeful agencies which will be employed will be the services
of the small band of Public Health workers which the Borough has been
able to secure. A reference to this work is made on pp. 16-18 of this
Report. In my opinion, however, it may be desirable before long to
supplement this important work by the appointment of one of those
paid female officials who are doing such good work under many of the
other Sanitary Authorities of the Metropolis.
During the year 1905 there was more infectious sickness in the
Metropolis than during the preceding year, and although there is cause
for some satisfaction in the fact that infectious sickness rate for the
Borough shows no increase over that of the year 1904, it is not a satisfactory
rate, having regard to the circumstances that nine other Metropolitan
Boroughs are able to show a lower one, and the rate is so largely
contributed to by certain areas of the Southern Division of the
Borough.