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7
Public Health Department,
Town Hall.
May, 1937.
To His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of
the County Borough of East Ham.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit to you my Annual
Report on the health of the County Borough of East Ham
for the year 1936, together with the Annual Report to
the Education Authority on the work of the School Medical
Service.
The year has been one of steady progress in all
sections of the Department, which is reflected in the
maintenance of a high standard of public health, in the
improvement of housing and environmental conditions, and
increased facilities at the Council's clinics for investigation,
advice and treatment.
The development of the services generally and the
advantages to be gained thereby in matters of health need
to be more widely known and appreciated.
It will be seen from a study of the vital statistics
that there is little change in the birth rate and death rate.
The maternal mortality rate has decreased from 4.9 in
1935 to 2.0 for the past year, which is satisfactory. The
infant mortality figure shows a slight increase, which was
due to prevailing epidemics.
There has been a further diminution in the incidence
and severity of notifiable infectious diseases, particularly
diphtheria and scarlet fever. The mortality attributed to
these illnesses have been considerably lessened and in the
case of Scarlet Fever altogether absent, which constitutes
a record in the annals of the Borough.