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The Health of Ealing.
TO HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN
AND COUNCILLORS OF THE BOROUGH
OF EALING.
I have the honour of presenting to you the following
report on the health and sanitary conditions of the
Borough of Ealing for the year 1909.
I regret that, in one or two particulars, it is not
quite so satisfactory as on some previous and similar
occasions; but what may be termed the less favourable
points are few and, with one or two exceptions,
not of a marked character.
I must refer more especially to a slightly increased
death-rate, and to a material falling-off of the birthrate.
These, however, are agreeably contrasted with
a considerable decline in infantile mortality.
Population.
The question of estimating the population of a
still increasing and progressing borough such as ours,
is not lessened towards the end of an inter-censalperiod,
and the error one is most likely to be led into
is of rather over-estimating than under-estimating the
population increase year by year. A census is to be
taken next spring, which will enable the estimate of
the population for the year, at least, to be correctly
arrived at. I have explained in more than one previous
report the difficulties to be encountered in connection
with this subject, and I do not consider it
necessary to repeat them. I may state that for the
purpose of calculating the vital statistics and rates as
affecting this return, I have estimated the population
of the borough at the middle of last year to be 52,550
persons. There is evidence that the falling-off in the
number of new houses erected in the borough which