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PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
43, White Horse Road,
Stepney, E.l.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS
OF THE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF STEPNEY.
Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report on the state of
the public health in Stepney for the year 1963.
Statistics
The Registrar-General's estimate of the mid-year population of the
Borough was 89,930, a decrease of 550 from last year. The age structure
shows a larger proportion of persons in the 'over 65' group than the
average for the London County Council area, A corrected death rate per
thousand of 15.4 compares with the figure of 12.2 for England and Wales.
Live births totalled 1,816 (1,852 in 1962) giving a corrected rate per
thousand of 18.4 (England and. Wales rate 18.2); infant mortality rate
24.77; perinatal, mortality rate 32.36; and maternal mortality rate 0.53.
Infectious Diseases
Local outbreaks of typhoid, probably imported from Switzerland by
returning holiday-makers, occurred throughout the country and gave rise
to some concern in March. No cases were notified in Stepney at this
time. A typhoid carrier working at a local hospital was discovered
later during a routine examination and treated at her place of residence
outside the Borough.
Oral polio vaccine was offered to all members of the Borough staff
up to the age of 45 years as recommended under the new schedule of
immunisation procedures.
Tuberculosis
Notifications remain higher than average for the County at 105
pulmonary, 20 non-pulmonary. A special campaign in conjunction with
the North-East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board's Mass Miniature
Radiography Unit was undertaken during May and June (see page 52).
The improved arrangements made by the Chest Physician by which general
practitioners can refer patients for chest X-ray at Mile End Hospital
also showed a good response.
Over a third of the new cases notified this year were of Asian
immigrants. Whether the disease was contracted before they left their
homeland, or whether our climate and overcrowded conditions combined
with their probable low resistance caused them to be infected here is a
matter of conjecture. In any event chest X-ray before they emigrate,
or immediately on arrival, should be required with adequate education to
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