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of 106 dwellings for re-housing the occupiers of these areas and the one represented
in 1933 was commenced.
Compared with 1933, the incidence of infectious disease shows an increase,
mainly due to the periodicity of measles, a disease which occurs in epidemics approximately
every two years, but in addition there were more cases of diphtheria (416
against 370), erysipelas (119 against 67) and pneumonia (280 against 249). The
number of cases of measles was 2,392, compared with 354 in the previous year. There
was a slight decrease in the number of cases of scarlet fever (989 against 1,004) and
puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia (35 against 40). There were no cases of
Smallpox.
Facilities for diphtheria immunisation were provided during the year by means
of a family doctor scheme. Immunisation is carried out by the doctor and paid for
by the Council, but Schick testing is undertaken by the Council. Full details of
the scheme will be found in that section of the report dealing with the Control of
Infectious Diseases.
The number of primary cases of tuberculosis coming to the knowledge of the
Department during the year was 269 (252 in 1933). At the end of the year there
were 829 persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and 219 persons from other
forms of tuberculosis, i.e., in all 1,048 persons (1,035 in 1933) living in the Borough.
The deaths from tuberculosis during the year numbered 146 (135 in 1933).
The principal vital statistics for the year are as follows:—The birth rate was
13.7, an increase of 1.0 on that of 1933; the death rate was 11.3 compared with
11.2 in 1933; the infantile mortality rate was 63, compared with 62 in the previous
year and the neo-natal mortality rate (deaths under 4 weeks per 1,000 births) was
27.5 as against 33.92. Maternal deaths numbered three, compared with six in
1933; the rate for the year per 1,000 births being 1.44. Not in any year during
the last quarter of a century have there been as few as three maternal deaths.
The population of the Borough is estimated by the Registrar General to be
145,520 at the middle of the year, a decrease of 680 on 1933. This is the total population
and includes non-civilians. It is on this figure that the rates of the Borough
are calculated, and so, when any comparison of figures in this report- is made with
those during the period 1915 to 1931 (when civilians only were included) allowance
must be made for this alteration in method.
Since my last report the following staff changes have taken place:—
Miss E. L. Little, Tuberculosis Visitor, commenced duty on 1st January.
Dr. C. F. Clarke, who became a part-time public vaccinator in 1930, resigned
his appointment in June on the grounds of ill-health.