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TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS
of the
Walthamstow Urban District Council.
Mrs. McEntee and Gentlemen,
The Ministry of Health issued in December, 1921, a Circular as to
the contents and arrangement of the Annual Reports of Medical
Officers of Health.
Inter alia, these are in future to be known as "Survey" and
"Ordinary" Reports. The former are to be issued every fifth year,
the latter for the intervening years. That issued for 1920 is reckoned
as a Survey Report, and those for 1921 and three following years are to
be of a simple character, giving certain information as outlined in an
appendix to the Circular.
By the deletion of a large quantity of matter fully dealt with in 1921,
a considerable saving in time and money will be effected. Certain
tables to preserve the continuity of the Reports, though not asked for,
are given in this year's Report, as they will be useful when the next
Survey Report has to be made.
The outstanding feature of Public Health interest during the year 1921
for this District, was the epidemic prevalence of Scarlet Fever, which
commenced in July and continued during the remaining months and
on into February, 1922.
Although 983 persons suffered from the disease, only five deaths
occurred, giving a death-rate about half that of London and less than
that prevailing in the 96 Great Towns.
In June the National Census was taken, but no detailed figures for
the Area have yet been published. Our enumerated population was
127,441—less than 3,000 in excess of that for 1911.
It is difficult to realise the accuracy of these figures in view of
"the overcrowding" repeatedly brought to notice, and remembering
that in 1911 there were 3,000 "empties," and now not a single empty
house to be found.
The Registrar-General gives for the mid-year an estimated population
of 129,800, upon which our Birth and Death rates are calculated.
Birth-rate.—This was 2T7 for the year, compared with 24.7 for
1920, and an average of 19 for the preceding five years.