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To the
MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS
OF THE
BOROUGH OF SOUTHGATE.
Mr. Mayor, Cr. Mrss Appleyard and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the Annual Report for
the year 1936.
The twelve months under review have been satisfactory in
almost every respect. In other words, the district has enjoyed a
tranquil, and for that reason, relatively uninteresting period.
Because of this lack of sensational happenings, and also in view
of the fact that much of the material supplied in the Annual Report
for 1935 covered the past five years, the information contained in
the present Report has been condensed and includes only such data
as is required by the Ministry of Health, together with comments
upon certain aspects of the Public Health Services which appear
to merit special consideration.
Thus, particular emphasis has been laid upon housing, and
also upon the growth and extension of the Maternity and Child
Welfare services within the Borough.
As already indicated, the vital statistics for 1936 make
extremely satisfactory reading. The death rate has risen very
slightly but, as will be seen later, this rise is accounted for by
deaths of persons over the age of 60 years; the infantile mortality
rate, the toddler mortality rate and the deaths of children of school
age and of adolescents, have all declined; the infectious sickness
rate establishes a low record for the district; the zymotic death rate
has risen, but the rise is due to circumstances over which we had
no control; while, for the first time in many years, only one
maternal death took place within the Borough.
Southgate shared in the widespread measles epidemic during
the early part of 1936, but not to a greater extent than did any
neighbouring district. It is impossible to compute accurately the
actual number of cases which occurred, but there can be no doubt
that the total was exceedingly high.
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