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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1914.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Stoke Newington.
Gentlemen,—
The vital statistics of the Borough for the year 1914 were
of a satisfactory nature. The general death-rate of 12.3 compares
favourably with the corresponding rate of 14.4 for the
Metropolis as a whole. The death-rate from the chief infectious
diseases (0.55) was the second lowest on record, and it is well
below the corresponding rate for the Metropolis generally. The rate
of infantile mortality (the number of deaths under one year of age to
every thousand births) was 78.7, as against a rate of 103 for the
Metropolis; this is the second lowest rate of infantile mortality
since the formation of the Borough, and there were only two
Metropolitan Boroughs with a lower rate. It is obvious, however,
from our experience, that continuous and increasing efforts are
necessary in order to permanently reduce the wastage of infant
life which still goes on.
The notifications of infectious diseases (excluding those from
Tuberculosis) were during 1914 higher than in the preceding year,
owing to an epidemic of Scarlet Fever which persisted for many
months, and which embraced the whole of the Metropolitan area;
but the prevalence of each separate notified disease, including
Consumption, compares favourably with that for the Metropolis.
I would direct your special attention to the remarks on
Infantile Mortality (pp. 103-108) and those on Consumption
(pp. 127-139). The year 1915 promises to witness the provision
at your hands of some needed extension of our efforts in respect
to these two important items of public health work.