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Wansteud and Woodford Borough Council
to mayor, aldermen and councillors,
borough of wanstead and woodford.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the Health Services
in the Borough for the year 1952. In this report, as in previous years.
reference is made to the personal health services controlled by the Esses
County Council and decentralised to the Forest Health Area Sub-Committee
of the County Health Committee. An account of the work of the School
Health Service is also given.
Vital Statistics
the total number of live births for the year was 751 as compared
with 768 for the previous year. This decline is smaller than in previous
years and seem that, following the steep post-war rise and subsequent
decline, this figure is now tending to become constant. The birth
rate per thousand of the population is 12.1 compared with 15.3 for England
and Wales. It is also somewhat lower than that for the average of six
per-war years, which was 13.2. This may be accounted for by the
continually increasing number of old people in the population. The number
of teaths occurring was 666 as compared with 668 for 1951. This gives a
death rate per 1,000 10.8 compared with a figure of 11.3 for England
and Wales.
of infant mortality rate, i.e., the death rate of infants under 1 year
of agr per 1,000 live births was 22.6. This shows an increase on the figures
for the two previous years, which were 14.2 and 18.9 respectively. It is
however lower than the figure for England and Wales, i.e., 27.6.
Infectious Disease
For the fourth successive year no case of diphtheria occurred. Details
of immunisation measures against this disease will be found on a subsequent
page. Diphtheria is now becoming a rare disease and is unknown to may
of the younger generation. Hence it is more than ever necessary to ensure
that all children, by the time they have reached the age of one year, are
adequately protected by immunisation, and that a further injection is giver
at the time when the child commences to attend school.
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