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5
Health Department,
Council House,
Hounslow.
February 16th, 1912.
To the Chairman and Members of the Heston and Isleworth
Urban District Council.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the Health
of the District for the year ending 1911.
The Census taken during the year has enabled me to estimate
with accuracy the birth and death rates.
Table I. at the end of the report, shews that the birth-rate is
rapidly falling. In 1906, it was 3125, while during the year 1911
it was only 23'94. This low birth-rate emphasizes the importance
of making every possible effort to save infant life.
The death-rate for the year under review is 13 58, which is
higher than the two preceding years, but the average of the three
year period 1909—11 is found to be 12.84 as compared with 13.87 in
the preceding three year period 1906—08. This reduction in
the average death.rate over a number of years is the surest test of
sanitary progress, and is a matter which the Council may view with
satisfaction.
During the year the infant mortality rate has been high, namely, 162
per 1,000. The Notification of Births Act, 1907, came into operation
in this district on 1st July, 1911, and two Health Visitors were appointed
to deal with Infant Mortality, the Notification of Births, School
Medical Inspection and the teaching of Infant Care and Management
to the senior girls at the schools. They came on duty on July 18th
and August 1st respectively, and since then there have been two
changes, so that it is as yet early to speak of the influence of their
work. But I feel sure that in the course of a short time their influence
will be felt, and that it is to them we must look for the
education of the public to a sense of the importance of personal
and domestic hygiene in the protection and improvement of the
public health.