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URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL OF ORPINGTON.
Health Report for 1937.
Gentlemen,
I beg to present to you my Annual Health Report for the
year 1937, this being the fourth one submitted by me as your
Medical Officer of Health, but the fifteenth one in respect of
the area concerned.
The Registrar-General's estimate of population for midyear
1937 is 43,610, which is an increase of 3,710 on the
corresponding-figure for mid-year 1936.
The year 1937 may be considered to have been a satisfactory
one from the point of view of Public Health.
A decrease took place in the Birth Rate, this being- 18.0
per thousand of population, as compared with 19.1 last year.
This compares very favourably with England and Wales in
which the Birth Rate was 14.9 for 1937 and 14.8 in 1936.
The Death Rate also showed a decrease, viz., 8.6 as
compared with 10.3 last year. The Death Rate in England and
Wales was 12.4 in 1937 and 12.1 in 1936.
The Infantile Mortality Rate was also less than last year,
the Rate for 1937 being 52 per thousand registered births as
against 64 last year. The Infantile Mortality Rates for England
and Wales were 58 in 1937 and 59 in 1936.
The year was a satisfactory one from the point of view
of incidence of Infectious Disease, the number of notification
certificates received being 260 as against 1,123 last year. This
is chiefly due to a very much smaller number of cases of Measles
being notified.
I again desire to take the opportunity of placing on record
my thanks for the help and assistance I have received from
the Council and its Officers. In particular I would specially
desire to express my appreciation of the services rendered so
efficiently and loyally by Mr. Capon, Mr. Crowe, Mr. Weedy,
and the Health Visitor, Miss L. Tate.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
P. N. CAVE,
Medical Officer of Health.