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2.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS of the METROPOLITAN BOROUGH of SHOREDITCH
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year 1954 has been an interesting and progressive one from the viewpoint
of the Borough, and perhaps even more so from the viewpoint of the value
of this department to the people in general.
While the population has increased by less than 200 as compared with
1953, the number of separately-rated homes has improved by 428, and the rateable
value has progressed by more than £8,000, thus indicating an improvement
in the physical status of the properties (commercial included) which must
reflect an the wellbeing of at least the daytime population.
Even so, the (adjusted) birth rate has dropped still further (15.66 to
14.64), though the(adjusted) death rate has more than made amends (13.96
becomes 12.67) despite the continuation of the counting of all deaths in
St.Matthew's Hospital as belonging to Shoreditch. The stillbirth rate (21.74)
has (perhaps fortunately) now become lower than the infant mortality rate
(23.10), and the only infectious disease to produce any deaths was tuberculosis
(even this totalled only 12, in all its forms). On the whole therefore, the
old dreaded term of "East End" would appear to have lost much of its sting
here, in terms of being an unhealthy area (and this at a time when
Shoreditch is still singled out as having the least open space of any Borough
in London).
As if to compensate for the healthier living conditions, some fate
ordained that cancer of lungs and stomach, and ulceration of the latter should
take a heavier toll than before, and that the other main increases should be
in accidents and suicides, but fortunately coronary disease which reared its
head high last year reverted to a lower level than before. Of the 17 infant
deaths, 12 were shared equally by prematurity, failure of lungs to expand,
and chest diseases, four of the others being divided between birth injury and
malformation, while the "odd man out" was an unusual one in these days
rhesus incompatibility. For the third year in succession no mother died in
childbirth. Coincidence decreed that during this year also, one mortuary
should be judged sufficient not merely for Bethnal Green and Shoreditch
together, but that they should share Poplar's mortuary.
The incidence of infectious diseases decidedly improved, there being
again no diphtheria, only two polios (already exceeded in the current year),
and very little whooping cough. Dysentery and measles were our two main
bugbears, but we still hope that the persistent education in handwashing will
improve the former in time, I am particularly glad however to be able to
report that the notifications of tuberculosis have reached an all-time low
level of 48 of all types (against 60 last year).*
The Borough Council's Social Services as will be seen in the body of the
report (p.20) have spread their net even wider, and are making a great
contribution towards producing a happy and healthy group, among the elderly
especially. Not only has Club and community spirit spread inside the Borough,