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1
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF
THE BOROUGH OF LEYTON.
Mb. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present herewith my Annual Report on
the health, sanitary circumstances and vital statistics of the
Borough of Leyton during the year 1947.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the population of Leyton
during 1947 is 105,550. Other comparative population figures
are:—
Last official census (1931) 128,313
Last complete pre-war year (1938) 117,200
Lowest war year (1941) 84,790
First complete post-war year (1946) 101,910
The number of births registered in the Borough during 1947
was 2,359—the highest annual number registered since the year
1922, when the population was 131,600. In 1947 the birth-rate
was 22.35 live births per thousand of the population; in 1922
the corresponding rate was 18.36. The last year in which the birth
rate exceeded 22.35 was in 1920.
The infant mortality rate (i.e., the number of deaths of infants
under one year of age per thousand registered live births) in Leyton
for the year under review was 33.06.
In Table 5 (page 11) is shown the comparative birth rate,
death rate and infant mortality rate figures for England and Wales,
Great Towns, Smaller Towns and Leyton. On page 12 there is a
table showing how the population and vital statistics of Leyton
have varied during the last 50 years.
During the year under review there occurred the most widespread
and serious outbreak of acute poliomyelitis, commonly
known as "infantile paralysis," we have ever had in this country.
Although certain of the smaller administrative areas reported no
cases, the epidemic affected the whole of Great Britain. In each of
five of the previous ten years no case had been notified in Leyton,
and in the four years when cases were reported the average annual
number of cases notified was 3.75. During 1947 some 14 cases
were notified, but in two cases the diagnosis was not confirmed after
admission to hospital. The number of corrected notifications was
therefore 12. Of the 12 persons in whom the diagnosis was