View report page

10
seminate information in a manner acceptable to the public
palate and likely to appeal not only to those who are already
interested, but also to those who are indifferent or even hostile.
Great as has been the improvement in communal health
during the last two decades, further improvement is likely
to be retarded until every individual realises that he must
take his share in promoting it.
The incidence of infectious disease was higher in 1928
than in 1927, mainly due to the prevalence of measles. There
were also a few more cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria.
The incidence of enteric fever was higher than in previous
years, as was the case generally in London, where, during
the summer months, especially in a few West.end boroughs,
there was a wide.spread outbreak of para.typhoid fever.
Nine cases of a common origin to those in other parts of
London occurred in Woolwich. There were fewer cases of
pneumonia and tuberculosis than in 1927. The number of
notifications of puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia rose
from 38 to 48, and unfortunately, there were eight deaths
from puerperal fever compared with three in 1927. At the
end of the year there were 944 cases of pulmonary and 278
cases of non.pulmonary tuberculosis, making a total number
of 1,222 cases known to be living in the Borough.
The reports of the Sanitary Inspectors shew that the
sanitary state of the Borough is satisfactory and that a
high level of hygiene in the handling of the food supplies is
being maintained. The number of slaughterings in the
Borough reached the unprecedented figure of 24,772, and
the inspection of these carcases, as provided for in the Public
Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, placed much additional
work on those Inspectors responsible for the examination of
the meat. The difficulties in regard to housing are still
considerable, but much progress was made during the year,
749 new houses being occupied. This figure includes 443