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6
The outstanding event of the year, from the administration
point of view, was the local enquiry into the
local government areas under the Local Government
Act, 1929, and the Provisional Order put forward by
the Corporation. The Minister of Health has confirmed
the decisions of this local enquiry to increase the area
of Bromley by the inclusion of the major portions of
Hayes and Keston, and minor portions of Farn borough
and West Wickham, and minor adjustments of boundaries
between the Borough and Beckenham and
Chislehurst.
Further alteration in administration in the Department
came about by the undertaking of the Diseases
of Animals Acts; the Chief Sanitary Inspector being
appointed the Inspector under these Acts. A Dental
Assistant Nurse was appointed to release a Health
Visitor for home visiting work. Otherwise there has
been no increase in staff to cope with the rapidly
increasing work of the Department. Bromley is
approaching the 50,000 population figure, and a gradual
change in the type of resident is taking place. This
in turn has its effect on the administration of the public
services. We are happily not faced with the slum
problem, nor are the housing conditions in any way
an acute problem, except in those cases where the
economic conditions has encouraged the house built for
one family to be let in lodgings, and the subsequent
lowering of social conditions by the impairment of an
environment which attempts to provide for sleeping,
cooking and living all in the one room.
The Vital Statistics for 1932 show at least one outstanding
feature, the Infantile Mortality Bate is the
lowest ever recorded in Bromley, being one-third of the
pre-war rate. The Death Rate remains stationary, but
there is a fall in the Birth Bate.
Infectious Diseases showed their expected fall,
especially in regard to Scarlet Fever, which reached
the apex of its curve in 1931. Measles, Mumps am
Chicken-pox were prevalent during the year and caused
much absence from school, and a consequent increase in
the work in this section of Public Health.