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4
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Haverstock Hill,
Hampstead, N.W. 3.
13th March, 1928.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead.
Mr. Mayor, Lames and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report for the
year 1927.
It is compiled as an "Ordinary Report" in accordance with the
instructions of the Ministry of Health, wherein were indicated the
information that should be given.
A summary of the statistics for 1927 will be found on page 6,
and if these are compared with preceding years it will be seen that the
health of the Borough is maintained at a high standard. It will be noted,
however, that the birth rate has fallen, while both the marriage rate and
death rate have risen, the death rate being l-6 per 1,000 above the
rate for last year. As I have stated on previous occasions, I do not
think these figures represent the actual position; I feel sure the next
Census, 1931, will reveal the fact that the population of the Borough
is much higher than the Registrar-General's estimate of 86,160, which
is the basis on which these rates are calculated. It will be seen that
the Registrar-General estimates that the population has shrunk by
1,370 since last year. I have formed the opinion that the estimate is
very much below the actual population now residing in the Borough.
It is satisfactory to see that the infantile death rate has fallen,
being only 51 per thousand births, and, although more illegitimate
children were born, it is gratifying to note that our reduction of
infantile mortality is almost entirely due to the decline in the death
rate among illegitimate infants, which has dropped to a rate of 88 per
thousand as against 223 per thousand last year.
The death rates from Measles and Tuberculosis also show a
welcome decline.