London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Pancras 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]

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8
Public Health Department,
Town Hall.,
Pancras Road, N.W. 1.
To the, Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough ok St. Pancras.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In accordance with requirements specified in the Sanitary Officers Order, I have the
honour to present the Annual Report on the sanitary circumstances, the sanitary administration,
and the vital statistics of the Borough for the year 1930.
This is the 75th Annual Report which has been presented, and the eighth which it has
been my duty to submit to the Members of the Council.
The Registrar-General has not provided any figures with reference to the estimated
population of the Borough for the year 1930, in view of the fact that the Census is due to be
taken shortly and definite figures will therefore be available during the year.
The Minister of Health has suggested that, for the purpose of this report, the estimated
population of the Borough for the year 1929 shall be taken as representing the population for
1930. This suggestion has been adopted, as it is probable that no material alteration has
occurred during the 12 months, and, therefore, the various rates which are calculated on this
estimate will not be affected to any serious extent,.
A summary of the principal statistics for the year is given on pages 11 and 12. These
statistics present several very satisfactory features when compared with the corresponding
figures for previous years, and indicate that the public health in St. Pancras was never better.
The principal items to which attention may be directed are the following: —
The birth rate, 15.4 per 1000 of population, was practically the same as for the
previous year when the rate was 15.5.
The death rate was the lowest hitherto recorded in the Borough, being only 119 per
1000 of population, as compared with 15.3 for the previous year.
The infantile mortality rate was also the lowest hitherto recorded in the Borough, the
rate being 60 per 1000 births, as compared with a rate of 83 for the preceding year.
The maternal death rate and the death rate from Tuberculosis were also the lowest
previously recorded in the Borough.
Notifiable infectious diseases showed no undue prevalence, with the exception of Measles
and Small-pox.
A number of cases of the last mentioned disease were notified late in the previous
year, and cases continued to occur during the first six months of 1930. Although the type
of illness was in no case severe and the mortality nil, the work of the department was
considerably increased, as not only had actual cases of the disease to be dealt with, but much
time and labour had to be expended in connection with the tracing and visiting of contacts.,