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2.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS of SHOREDITCH
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with some degree of (I hope, pardonable) pride that I introduce
my annual report for 1951, for never by any series of coincidences did I
expect Shored itch to produce vital statistics comparable with those of
noted health resorts; That these figures constitute a "lucky dip" I have
little doubt, but it has led me to compare this Borough with other more
favourably situated areas, and to realise that many things in Shoreditch
are noticeably an improvement on some other (nameless, of course) areas;
For example -
(a) relative absence of (largely due to the gammexane put in
flies and bluebottles every dustbin etc., whenever emptied
during summer).
(b) absence of food- (partly from (a), partly from universality
poisoning. of refrigerators, hot water and care in
food premises largely resulting from
unusually thorough supervision by S. I.
Staff).
(c) reduction in atmospheric (due to many factors ruling throughout the
pollution. country, but also to closing of
destructor).
(d) cleanliness of roads (in common with London in general).
(o) the scrupulous cleanliness (the result of last year's campaign)
of glasses, and care taken
in public houses.
(f) free hand-washing for everyone in all public conveniences.
(g) excess of healthy-looking (probably linked with cheap holidays at
old people. the Council's country holiday home).
It may well be arguable of course, that the inhabitants of health
resorts suffer from the disadvantage of having nowhere healthier to go
for a change of air, and that therefore the Shoreditch residents derive
even more benefit from using the Council's Holiday Home once a year, than
from constant use.
But it is a particularly strange coincidence that these improved
statistics occur so soon after the Council's destructor had ceased to
function. This department feels that this origin of the Borough motto
"More light, more power" has been worthily replaced by the twin spirits
hygiene - light and air - to the physical if not direct financial
benefit of the populace.
The most outstanding figure among the vital statistics this year is
an infant mortality rate of 15.66 (compared with 29.6 for England and Wales