View report page

REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1912.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Stoke Newington.
Gentlemen,
The vital statistics of the Borough for the year 1912 were
of their usual satisfactory nature. The general death-rate of
11.6 compares favourably with the corresponding rate of 13.6
for the Metropolis as a whole, and it is the lowest recorded since
the constitution of the Borough. The death-rate from the chief
infectious diseases (0.34) was also the lowest on record, and it is
considerably below the rate for the Metropolis generally. The
rate of infantile mortality (the number of deaths under one year
of age to every thousand births) amounted to 70.7, as against
90 for the Metropolis; this is the second lowest rate of infantile
mortality since the formation of the Borough, and there were
only 3 Metropolitan Boroughs with a lower rate. The smallness
of this rate, as compared with last year, is mainly due to a
great reduction in the mortality from Measles and Whooping
Cough, Diarrhoea, and Enteritis. It is obvious, however, from
our experience, that consistent efforts are necessary in order
to permanently stem a still considerable wastage of infant life,
to permanently stem a still considerable wastage of infant life.
The notifications of infectious diseases during 1912 were
fewer than during the preceding year, and there were only 2
other Metropolitan Boroughs with a lower rate of attack from
such diseases. The prevalence of each separate notified
disease, including Phthisis, compares favourably with that for
the Metropolis.
Again I would direct your special attention to the remarks
on Consumption (p.p. 126-135). I feel very strongly that there is