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Mr.Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the Health Services of the Borough
for the year 1951
After a lapse of 20 years due to war-time preoccupations, a census was held in the
earlier part of this year. That gave the Registrar General the opportunity for an accurate
check on the previous estimates of mid-year population based on data from other sources. In
the event, the estimated mid-year population dropped from 172,800 in 1950 to 170,100 in
1951. Although there had been a small decrease of about 900 between 1949 and 1950, the
large fall in the figure this year (2,700) suggests that it was due to something more than
an exaggeration of the previous tendency towards a decline in the population. The earlier
estimates were probably rather too high and the census has given the accurate figure for
the population of the Borough. The true trend will only be seen from future years' estimates
The birth-rate rose slightly, from l6.6 to 17.2 per thousand. While this is a welcome
halt to the previous downward trend, the difference is too small to justify anything more
than the hope that the birth-rate may now have become stabilised. The infant mortality
dropped from last year's figure of 27 7 to 25-2 but did not quite reach the record low level
of 1949, when it touched 23 per 1,000. Tne general death-rate showed a small increase to
11.7 per 1,000. This was mainly due to an increase in respiratory infections, for which the
earlier part of the year was distinctly unfavourable. There is no reason to anticipate any
set trend in this direction. Maternal mortality, at 0.6 per thousand, was low.
Infectious diseases were rather prominent during the year. Measles and whooping
cough both gave rise to their largest post-war epidemics; fortunately the character of the
illness has become less severe of recent years. Dysentery showed an unusual nation-wide
Increase during the earlier part of the year, in which West Ham inevitably shared, and the
increase In respiratory infections has already been mentioned in the previous paragraph.
An unexpected increase in notifications of tuberculosis, accompanied by a sharp fail—in
the number of deaths from this cause, is discussed on page 8. It is not thought likely to
herald any recrudescence of this disease in the community. Poliomyelitis and diphtheria
both showed a very low incidence.
Among the matters of Interest included in the body of the report the following i
be brought to notice. The coming into force of the Rag Flock and Other Pilling Materials
Act, 1951. is recorded on page 24. Reports of the first full year's working of the
Occupation Centre, of the Clean Food Advisory Association, and of the special toddlers'
sessions held at the Child Welfare Clinics will be found on pages 53/4, 44/4-5 and 27/8
respectively. An interesting account is given on page 38 of the lines on which it is
hoped to develop health education work now that an adequate staff of Health Visitors
has been built up; and on the preceding page is an account of a promising attempt to
achieve a close working liaison between the Health Visitors and the Child Guidance
Clinic. The commencement of the scheme for immunisation against tuberculosis with
"B.C.G." and the achievements of the first few months' operation, are described on
pages 43/4. Lastly, the findings of the visual survey, undertaken in 1948 to try and
ascertain the incidence of the less easily recognisable eye defects in school children,
became available during the year and are summarised on pages 59/^0.
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