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6
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Bethnal Green, E.2.
24th May, 1937.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my annual report
relative to the Public Health work of the Metropolitan
Borough of Bethnal Green for the year 1936.
The general death rate at all ages from all causes
was 12.7 per thousand of the population. When
corrected by the comparability factor of the Registrar
General (1.13) the rate becomes 14.3, which is 2.9
higher than the previous year. My comments on
this increase will be found under the heading on
Vital Statistics.
I gave warning last year, when the rate was the
lowest on record, to be prepared for a set back this
year in the Infant Mortality Rate, as 1935 fortunately
fell between the biennial epidemic of measles.
Whereas in that year there were no deaths from
measles, 4 deaths from whooping cough and 16 from
diarrhcea, in 1936 there were 17 deaths from
measles, 13 from whooping cough, and 39 from
diarrhcea. Mainly on account of these deaths the
Infant Mortality Rate is 98 per thousand births.
Further comment is made later.
The Maternal Mortality Rate was 2.1 which is
accounted for by there being 3 deaths as against
2 in the previous year.