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Public Health Department,
43, White Horse Road,
Stepney, E.l.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors the
Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.
Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
An abridged report in accordance with the Ministry's
suggestion is herewith submitted to you for the year 1940.
The Registrar General's estimate of the population of
the Borough was 136,030 but the actual resident population was
probably much lower especially during the latter half of the
year. Because of war conditions the population fluctuated and
no accurate comparisons can be made with the figures of former
years.
The birth rate rose to 15.1 from Last year's rate
of 12.5
The death rate increased from 12.05 in 1939 to 20.5
in 1940. The increase in the death rate was mainly due to
enemy action.
The death rate of infants under 1 year of age was
43.1 per thousand live births-the lowest recorded in the
Borough - and last year was 53.7.
Maternal mortality also has decreased from 3.35 per
thousand births in 1939 to 2,39 in 1940.
The incidence of infectious disease during the year
was remarkably and surprisingly low-a matter for satisfaction
considering the very unfavourable living conditions prevailing
during the period of air raids in the latter half of the yearonly
867 notifications were received in 1940 compared with
1643 in the previous year. Scarlet fever decreased from 413
to 135, Diphtheria from 204 to 166, Pneumonia from 219 to 142,
and Whooping Cough from 546 to 44. The only increases of note
were Measles from 50 to 209, Cerebro-spinal Fever from 9 to 50
and Enteric Fever from 3 to 8 compered with last year.
There were no cases of Smallpox.
The number of notifications of Tuberculosis received
during the year was 409.
All the peace time health services carried on throughout
the year without diminution. Many new responsibilities
were placed upon the Council in connection with Civil Defence,
air raid shelters and evacuation which towards the end of the
year increased in urgency, and much credit must be given to
the staff of the Health Department for the willingness with
which they shouldered their additional burdens.
These duties included shelter visiting, inspection of
war damaged properties, salvage of war damaged foodstuffs,
supervision of Stretcher Party Depots and First Aid Posts,
training and control of several hundred Civil Defence personnel
and the clerical duties connected with their wages, stores and
equipment. The urgent establishment of Medical Aid Posts in