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11
districts to the twelve estates which the County Council has provided
in Hackney. The population of these twelve estates was
found to total 10,481 at an enumeration carried out by the County
Council in January, 1939.
In my report for 1936 I commented on the probable increase
in the more destitute population of the Borough which will result
from the London County Council's housing activities, and stated
that "it must be remembered that these additional residents will
be drawn from overcrowded slum areas in this and neighbouring
districts,'' persons having the greatest need of the various social
services. Again, in my report for 1937 I referred to this incoming
population and their possible effect upon the Borough's infant
mortality record.
Already this effect can be seen, as, for instance, in the increasing
cost of the various services. In 1937 the cost of providing
milk for mothers and children was £2,429. In 1938 the cost was
£3,572. Applications for "Home Helps" numbered 134 in 1938
compared with 72 in the previous year. These figures indicate the
growing number of necessitous families in the Borough, and this
fact must reflect particularly in the infantile mortality rate, which
is the most sensitive index of social circumstances.
Hackney's position as regards birth, death and infant mortality
rates is shown in the table on page 14. The birth rate has once
more declined, from 13.8 to 13.4 per 1,000 of the population, the
rate for London being also 13.4 and for England and Wales 15.1.
The death rate of the Borough improved from 11.1 to 10.7, the
rates for London and England and Wales being 11.4 and 11.6
respectively. The infantile mortality rate was 56, as compared
with 43 in the previous year, and was equal to the rate for London.
Pneumonia, enteritis and congenital defects were the causes chiefly
responsible for the increased number of infant deaths. There was
only one maternal death in 1938, the rate for the year per 1,000
total births being 0.35. So far as I am able to trace, the Borough
has never before had so low a maternal mortality rate.
The two outstanding features of the year's progress as regards
maternity and child welfare were the completion of the new
Maternity and Child Welfare Centre at Elsdale Street and the
establishment, by arrangement with the London County Council,
of an emergency obstetric service. The new centre premises were
opened in January, 1939, and the additional work which it will
be possible to carry out in these premises, together with the splendid