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ANNUAL REPORT
FOR THE YEAR 1948.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Chingford Corporation.
Mr. Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
I have pleasure in submitting my Annual Report for
the year 1948 upon the health and sanitary circumstances
of the Borough.
Generally speaking the health of the district has been
satisfactory. The incidence of infectious disease was about
the level of the previous year. Notified cases of pulmonary
tuberculosis show a reduction for the first time for three
years, the figures being 42 cases in 1948 against 46 in 1947,
45 in 1946, and 33 in 1945. It is a pleasure to be able to
record for the third year in succession that no cases of
Diphtheria occurred in the Borough.
The birth rate at 15.9 per 1,000 was lower than the
previous year (20.3 per 1,000). The reduction in this rate
is in accordance with the general reduction throughout
England and Wales as a whole. The death rate was 7.3
per 1,000 compared with 8.5 per 1,000 in 1947. The death
rate of infants under one year of age was 21.5 per 1,000 live
births. This figure, while considerably below the rate for
England and Wales, viz.: 34 per 1,000, is higher than the rate
for 1947, 12.9 per 1,000.
The inception of the National Health Service Act, 1946,
on the 5th July, 1948, did not materially affect the
administrative powers of the Borough.
I desire to record my thanks to the Chief Sanitary
Inspector, Mr. James F. Rogers, and to the staff of the
Health Department for their hard work and assistance to
me during the year.
I am, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
J H. CROSBY,
Medical Officer of Health.
August, 1949.
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