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2
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Tottenham, N. 15.
31st December, 1944.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Tottenham.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
T have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the health
of the Borough for the year ending 31st December, 1943, which,
owing to war-time conditions is again considerably curtailed.
Vital Statistics.
The population which in 1939 was 144,400, and fell in 1941 to
105,620, .continued, as in 1942, to show a rise, now estimated to be
110,350. The birth rate, the highest since 1924, was 17.85, and the
number of registered births 1,970, as compared with 1,819 in the
previous year; the proportion of male to female births being 1,018
boys to 952 girls. The infantile death rate was 43.65 per 1,000 live
births. It is interesting to compare this rate with that of the year
1918, the fourth year of the last war, when it was 84.7. The deaths
in the first four weeks of life caused a neo-natal mortality of 24.8 per
1,000 live births, a figure which compares favourably with that
of 30.2 in 1942, and 35.0 in 1918. The maternal death rate was
2.94 as compared with 2.6 in 1942. The general death rate of the
whole population showed a rise to 13.7 as compared with 12.2 in
1942. Deaths from Cancer showed an increase, as also diseases of
the heart and lungs.
In spite of a further decline in housing conditions due to enemy
action, disrepair and overcrowding, the general standard of health
has remained high. But as emphasised in previous years, housing
must continue to be regarded as priority number one in the task
both of combating disease and in promoting positive health.
Infectious Diseases.
Notifiable infeotious diseases showed an increase over the
previous year, mainly clue to Measles and Whooping Cough, though
the figures generally were lower than in pre-war years. The