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Deaths of children under one year included 250 from diarrhoea and
enteritis, 23 from measles and 120 from pneumonia. There were 201 inquests
on children under five years, 40 deaths being attributed to convulsions,
27 to overlying by parents in bed, and 13 to burns and scalds.
Notifications of infectious disease included 423 diphtheria; 784
scarlet fever, 70 enteric fever, and 2,038 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.
That year all forms of tuberculosis were made notifiable.
Of the 1,263 samples of food analysed 146 (11.6%) were found to be
adulterated, as a result of which 79 prosecutions were taken. 101
samples of milk and 27 samples of butter were found to be adulterated;
and of 110 samples of milk taken on Sundays 14.5% were adulterated.
Legal proceedings were taken in 152 instances under the Public
Health Act, Food and Drugs Act and other acts and byelaws. An organisation
pleaded guilty to selling to the London County Council for the
breakfast of necessitous children 90 slices of bread and dripping which
were unsound, unwholesome and unfit for human consumption.
Inspections numbering 19,131 were made by sanitary inspectors specifically
for the purpose of detecting overcrowding.
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor reported that 13,477 loads of
hay were brought into the Whitechapel Hay and Straw Market, the number
declining over the previous years due to mechanical traction. The
Hay and Straw Market was held three days a week from early morning until
3 p.m., and at the time of closing a bell was rung to signal the departure
of all hay and straw carts. The average cost per horse per working
day (including fodder, wages of stablemen, rent, etc.) was 4/8d. Each
horse received daily 12 lbs. oats, 24 lbs. hay and clover and during the
summer one bundle of greenmeat.
The Metropolitan Association for Befriending Young Servants made
application to the Council for a small sign to be affixed to a lampstandard
directing persons to their newly-acquired offices.
Population
The Registrar-General's mid-year estimate for 1963 is 89,930. Last
year's estimate was 90,480.
The density of population is now 50.92 persons per acre. In 1913
it was 156 per acre.
During the year there was a natural increase in population of 598;
that is there were 598 more births than deaths. The Registrar-General
estimates the population to be 550 less than last year, the indication
being that 1,148 persons have moved out of the Borough.
Births
The Council is supplied by the County Council with a weekly return
of live births and stillbirths notified to the latter authority, as the
local Health Authority, under the National Health Service Act, 1946.
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