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9
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Pancras Road, N.W. 1.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of St. Pancras.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health as indicated in the
Sanitary Officers Order, I have the honour to submit my Annual Report 011 the sanitary
circumstances, sanitary administration, and the vital statistics of the Borough for the year
1933.
This is the 78th Annual Report which has been presented to the Sanitary Authority,
and the eleventh which it has been my duty to submit to the Members of the Council.
A summary of the principal statistics for the year is given on pages 11 and 12.
During the earl)' months of the year, Influenza, of a somewhat severe type and with
Pneumonia as a frequent complication, was very prevalent, and was responsible for a high
mortality during January and February. The outbreak was widespread and extended
practically throughout London and the country.
A brief spell of cold weather in December also tended to cause an increase in the death
rate, especially in old people, but the long, dry and exceptionally warm summer had a
favourable influence and to a considerable extent counteracted the above-mentioned adverse
factors.
The birth rate, which has steadily declined for a number of years, was again the lowest
on record, and for the first time in the history of the Borough was slightly lower than the
death rate.
The rate of Infantile Mortality was the lowest ever recorded in the Borough, being
only 58 per 1000 births, the corresponding rate for the whole of London being 59.
This remarkably low rate, and also the decrease in the number of deaths of children
under 5 years of age and the low general death rate, would appear to indicate that the
nutrition of the people, and consequent resistance to disease, had been reasonably well
maintained, despite public anxiety on the subject of unemployment and its possible effect on
nutrition.
There was no undue prevalence of notifiable infectious diseases, with the exception of
Influenzal Pneumonia during the early part of the year, of German Measles in the second
quarter, and some increase in Scarlet Fever, of a very mild type, during the last quarter of
the year.
Housing conditions continued to receive attention and a number of areas were inspected
with reference to the possibility of action being taken under Section 1 of the Housing Act
of 1930. Several areas will probably be dealt with during the coming year.