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1929
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1929.
Public Health Department,
Municipal Offices,
Acton, W.3.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Acton.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I herewith submit the Annual Report required by the
Ministry of Health, together with the Annual Report upon the
School Medical Services.
The birth-rate is slightly higher than in 1928. The birthrate
has for years shown a constant tendency to become lower,
and probably the slightly higher rate for 1929 was due to the large
number of persons of child-bearing age who have recently come to
reside in the new houses in the North-East and North-West
Wards.
The death-rate is the highest recorded since 1918, and the
cause of the high death-rate in both years was primarily due to an
extensive outbreak of Influenza. Although the deaths certified to
be due to Influenza numbered only 38, there was an increase in
the number of deaths from other Respiratory Diseases such as
Bronchitis, Pneumonia and Pulmonary Diseasfes.
Another unsatisfactory feature of the vital statistics is the
higher infantile-mortality. It is the highest infantile-mortality
since 1917. There is a slight increase in the number of deaths
from Respiratory Diseases, but the main increase is due to deaths
from Premature births and Congenital Debility.