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Introduction.
To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
County Borough of West Ham.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Though the vital statistics for West Ham are well below the
average rate of the 107 Great Towns of England and Wales, the
year 1929 has been a disappointing one for the country as a whole.
Several causes have been assigned as reasons for the increased
death rate and infant mortality rate, of which the most important
was the epidemic of influenzal pneumonia prevalent at the beginning
of the year. The birth rate for the Borough is the lowest
ever recorded.
During the year several extensions of your present services
have been carried out in regard to-the Maternity and Child Welfare
clinics and additional hospital beds.
The outbreak of Smallpox mentioned in my last annual report
has continued, and has created an enormous amount of work and
anxiety; the disease continues to be of a very mild type, and it
should be considered as to whether or not it would be wise to
modify the present mode of dealing with the outbreak.
The passing of the Local Government Act, 1929, will alter
profoundly the Public Medical Services of the Borough; though
much time and thought have already been given to the question,
the schemes involved are too immature as yet to be reported upon
in detail. Two special reports issued by me to this Authority are
reprinted in the Appendix with regard to the working of the Act.
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