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Public Health Department,
Queen Mary College,
Mile Er.d Road,
London, E. 1.
To the Mayor, Alderman and Councillors of
the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.
Your Worship, Ladies & Gentlemen,
I beg to present my report for the year 1941. It is again
an abridged report in accordance with the direction of the
Ministry of Health (Circular 2504).
The Registrar General's estimate of the population of the
Borough is not recorded, because of war conditions it fluctuated
and no accurate comparisons can be made with the figures of
former years.
The birth rate was 15.5 per 1,000.
The death rate increased in 1941.
The death rate of infants under 1 year of age was 79.5
per thousand live births.
Maternal mortality was 3.58 per thousand births.
Infectious disease during the year was low, as compared with
pre-war years. 1027 notifications xvere received in 1941 compared
with 867 in the previous year. Scarlet fever decreased from 135
to 66. Diphtheria from 166 to 120. Pneumonia from 142 to 108.
The only increases of note were Measles from 20o to 382 and
Whooping Cough from 44 to 214, compared with last year.
There were no cases of Smallpox.
The number of cases of Tuberculosis notified during the year
was 217.
The Public Health Department was transferred on 1st December
frcm 43, Wiiitehorse Road, E.l. tc the Temporary Municipal Offices
which are at present at Queen Mary College, Mile End Road, E. 1.
All the peace-time health services carried on as throughout
the year.
A residential day-nursery was opened at Syston Court on the
13th January by a voluntary committee under Lady Gunston, representing
the American War Relief Committee. The majority of the
places were reserved for pre-school children from the East End
Boroughs, mainly Stepney.
Defence Reg. 31a came into operation early in the year and
gave power to local authorities to compulsorarily evacuate children
suffering from the effects of air raids. Circular 2261 of
the Ministry of Health, dated 8th January, dealt with the administration
of these regulations. Provision was made for the
Council's part-time Modical Officers of the infant welfare r
centres to medically examine children under these regulations.
The facilities for Medical Aid Posts in Public A^r Raid
Shelters and medical supervision were continued.
Arrangements were made, as suggested by the Ministry of
Health for immunising against Typhoid Fever those persons who so
desired.