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TO THE
MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS
OF THE
BOROUGH OF SOUTHGATE
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present the Annual Report of the Medical Officer
of Health for the year 1949.
The form which the Annual Report for 1949 should take has
been altered in the light of the changes brought about by the
National Health Service Act.
Although the report will still contain information relating
to vital statistics affecting the Borough, it will no longer be possible
to comment on the personal health services which have presumably
affected such statistics. The reason for this will be readily
appreciated. It would scarcely be judicious or even courteous
for a Medical Officer of Health who is also a County Officer, to
offer comment upon services provided by the County Council
in his area. It will still be possible, however, to refer to statistics
in an uncritical manner. It appears only right that this should be
done. If these comments are not available, it would be very
difficult, if not impossible, to present a picture which accurately
depicts the health of the Borough. As the Borough Council is
intimately concerned with all matters affecting the health of the
community, it is only right and proper that the information presented
should be comprehensive and intelligible.
The vital statistics for 1949 are satisfactory. The Birth Rate
shows a slight decline, from 13.69 to 12.69, while the corrected
Death Rate is 9.49 as against a Death Rate of 10.40 in 1948.
The Infantile Death Rate, while somewhat higher than last
year (25.42 as against 22.68), is still one of the lowest recorded
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