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compared with £110 in 1876 on the basis of the agricultural labourer standard of that period. It
will therefore be seen that the maintenance of the health activities of the Council represents a return
translated in terms of cash to the inhabitants of Willesden on the low standard indicated of £380,000
per annum, which represents a handsome profit on the total gross expenditure of the Health Department
of approximately £92,000 in 1920-21.
The rise in the Willesden Rates for the financial year ending 31st March, 1922, by 4s. in the
£ from 15s. 3d. or 26-2 per cent., is to be regretted at a time of trade depression in the country. It
is no part of the duty of the Medical Officer of Health to examine the general causes of increase, but
he is interested in the proportion of the increase which is caused by the Health Department.
For the financial year, ending 1920-21, the estimates of the Health Department, including all
Services, were responsible for 1s. 2d. of the 15s. 3d. rate,or 7.6 per cent, of the total rate of the
district. For the financial year 1921-22, the estimates of the Health Department, including all
Services, are responsible for Is. 4½d. of the 19s. 3d. rate or 7.1 per cent, of the total rate of the
district.
It will therefore be seen, that while the rate for 1921-22 has increased by 4s. over the rate
for 1920-21, only 2½d. of this increase is due to the increased cost of the various services rendered
by the Health Department.
The result of the Health work of the Council has been to reduce the Willesden death rate and
infant mortality rate of 1920 to less than one-half of what it was 50 years ago, and to give to each
citizen on the average a life longer by 10 years. There is no reason why this improvement should
not continue, and 50 years hence my successor in office be able to record even better results. But
this will depend on a policy of action. At every period in our history there have been good honest
men and women opposed to health action, but the results of the past years should encourage the
Council to seek and secure the health of the citizens along the lines which lie to their hand and which
are indicated in this Report.
Your obedient Servant,
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.