CAM 14 Camberwell 1909 10 Report of the medical Officer of Health. To The Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Camberwell. Gentlemen, The population of London according to the estimate of the Registrar-General amounted at the middle of the year 1909 to 4,833,938 persons, compared with 4,795,757 at the corresponding period of 1908. During the fifty-two weeks which are officially reckoned as this year there were 116,559 births, compared with 122,898 registered during the fifty-three weeks of 1908, so that there is a decline in the actual number with a co-existent lowering of the birth rate to 24 - 2, which is stated to be the lowest on record. The number of deaths registered within the limits of the County of London was 68,266, but it is necessary to revise these figures by the exclusion of the deaths of 3,162 persons, who, although dying within its boundaries, cannot be truly reckoned as Londoners, while there must be the inclusion of 2,528 deaths of inhabitants of the County who happened to die in institutions outside. When this readjustment has been made it appears that there is a total of 67,632 deaths belonging to the County of London which have to be reckoned with in the calculation of the death-rate. In 1908 the corresponding number, but which included the deaths for an extra week, amounted to 67,352, so that there is a slight increase in the number of deaths over last year. The need, however, for caution in accepting the estimated popuation on which depends the reliable calculation of the birth and death-rates, is even greater than last year. The Registrar-General states "That estimates of population referring to a date over eight years subsequent to that of the last census are necessarily unreliable." It is now nine years since the enumeration of the population took place, and it is probable that many surprises are in store for us when the next census comes to be taken. One thing, however, is tolerably certain, viz., that the rate of increase which obtained in 1891-1901 has not continued. Estimation in the intercensal period becomes increasingly unreliable according to the distance from the enumeration, and now, as we are so far removed from a reliable datum, the estimate, together with the birth-rate and the deathrate, must not be accepted as anything more than reasoned guesses. We have, as before, estimated the population by the assessment method rather than that based on the assumption that the rate of increase has been the same as in 1891-1901, for the actual recorded number of births would lead us to reject this theory, and the first method we have found by the experience of previous years to be the more accurate. As previously explained, it consists in multiplying the number of assessments in 1910 by the same factor that we found actually existed in 1901, the factor being the number of persons found actually to exist per assessment. Table A.—Population of Camberwell and Sub-Districts. Borough. Dulwich. South Camberwell. North Camberwell. South Peckham. North Peckham. St. George's. As enumerated at census 1896 90,286 88,242 67,029 253,076 7,519 As enumerated at census 1901 259,339 10,247 90,465 65,589 93,038 As calculated for middle of 1903 262,968 11,214 92,079 94,286 65,283 As calculated for middle of 1904 108,028 47,449 265,139 14,259 94,323 As calculated for middle of 1905 267,594 110,648 47,420 14,677 94,856 As calculated for middle of 1906 48,033 45,125 66,598 45,585 49,682 270,153 15,130 As calculated for middle of 1907 272,479 15,600 45,915 67,195 45,831 49,872 48,066 273,856 16,170 46,400 67,440 45,943 49,769 48,134 As calculated for middle of 1908 As calculated for middle of 1909 275,275 47,309 67,516 49,827 48,151 16,447 46,025 The number of births registered in the Borough was 6,547 to which must be added 112, representing the children of Camberwell mothers who were born in institutions outside its boundaries. For the purposes of allocation these births, as a rule, have had to be considered as a class apart, since it has usually been impossible to ascertain the wards in which they resided previous to their departure for the lying-in hospitals, &c., where their infants were born; the various wards have therefore been credited with these births in the same way as the unclassified deaths have been distributed among them. Table B.—Births in Camberwell and its Sub-Districts. Year. Borough. Dulwich. South Camberwell. North Camberwell. South Peckham. North Peckham. St. George's. Unattached. 6,885 1,064 1,646 1,080 1,352 217 1908 1,370 156 1909 6,689 230 1,014 1,557 986 1,411 1,349 142 Difference —196 +13 —50 —89 —94 +41 - 3 -14 Altogether there have been 196 fewer births in Camberwell than the previous year, there being a decrease in all the registration sub-districts The last is easy to understand, as there are a number of new houses of a class adapted to young married people, which leads to corresponding increase of resident women of a child-bearing age. North Peckham's slight increase is not quite so easy of explanation, as there have been forty-one more births recorded with the returns for one week less than last year and with no extra amount of housing accommodation provided; in fact, any change would be in the way of demolition rather than the building of new houses. Table C.—Birth-rates of Camberwell and its Sub-Districts. North Camberwell. South Peckham. North Peckham. South Camberwell. St. George's. Year. Borough. Dulwich. 1908 25·1 13·7 23·4 26.7 24·0 28·1 28·7 1909 24·3 13·9 21·4 23·0 21·4 28·2 28·0 With the decrease in numbers of births, the birth-rate has proportionately diminished from 25·1 to 24·3. This is the lowest that has been recorded in Camberwell for at least ten years past, but as it depends for its correctness on the population, the figures must be accepted with some reserve. The total number of deaths that could be properly allocated to the Borough was 3,778, being 176 more than last year. It will be seen that the number registered is 4,098, but this includes the deaths of inhabitants of Southwark who died in the Southwark Infirmary and who were only sent there when fatal sickness had already laid hold of them. It also includes those who were properly never residents of Camberwell, and only come into our records because they have died in one or other of the lunatic asylums situated in the Borough. These it is of course necessary to exclude from the deaths of inhabitants of Camberwell, for they should be assigned to the respective localities whence they came to this district. In the same way the deaths of those inhabitants who have died in institutions for the sick or elsewhere outside London must be included. Among these are included those who have died in any one of the long list of such institutions which is given in the tables, and also includes a few who have died a natural death in private homes, as well as a few persons who have committed suicide outside the Borough boundary. In most of the latter cases it has been possible to assign the deaths to the respective divisions of the Borough from which the person was admitted to the hospital or institution where death took place; with a certain number of cases all the available information has been that the deceased was of Camberwell. The only way to deal with these has been to distribute them amongst the registration districts in proportion to their known recorded deaths. Table D. — Re-distribution of Deaths among the Sub-Districts of Camberwell. Deaths returned classified according to sub-districts. Deaths of persons removed from unknown addresses in the Borough re-distributed. Estimates of total deaths due to subdistricts. District. Dulwich 156 6 162 South Camberwell 480 17 497 North Camberwell 945 25 970 South Peckham 577 17 594 North Peckham 814 18 832 St. George's 705 723 18 Total 3,677 101 3,778 As this class usually consists of persons who have been many years away from Camberwell, their being allotted in a somewhat mechanical way will have practically no effect in vitiating results. The death-rate, therefore, for Camberwell, as in the County of London, is slightly higher than the phenomenally low one for 1908, and its position on the list of Metropolitan Boroughs is tenth, being between Paddington with a rate of 13·78, and Battersea with one of 13·97. Table E. — Death-rates in Camberwell and its Sub-Districts for the past 10 tears. South Camberwell. North Camberwell. South Peckham. North Peckham. St. George's, Year. Borough. Dulwich. 1900 16·54 10·14 14·24 17·96 18·59 1901 16·49 7·51 13·91 18·41 18·81 1902 16·34 8·07 14·53 37·01 19·13 1903 13·80 7·57 13·04 14·10 15·39 15·16 1904 6·66 12·07 16·11 22·97 13·8 15·60 1905 9·87 13·40 14·18 11·7 15·5 12·7 16·5 1906 14·8 9·5 15·6 1907 14·0 9·0 14·9 12·6 16·1 16·1 11·2 1908 13·1 8·4 11·1 14·2 12·1 15·6 13·4 The result, although not so good as in 1908, when Camberwell was ninth on the list, is still satisfactory, bearing in mind the character and circumstances of the population of the Borough, and it compares by no means unfavourably with other towns with a reputation as health resorts, and to live in which persons are content to spend much money and to put up with considerable loss of time in travel. Coming now to the individual districts, there is an increase of 1·4 in Dulwich, of 0·1 in North Camberwell, of 0.8 in South Peckham, of 0·4 in North Peckham, and 1·6 in St. George's. It thus appears that only in South Camberwell has there been a reduction of from 11·1 to 10·5. The infantile mortality has again shown a decrease from the preceding years, there being 53 fewer deaths of children under one year, contrasted with a reduction of 60 in 1908 from the numbers for 1907. This Council, after discussion, decided to take no action in the way of appointing health visitors, whose duties it would be to go round to the houses wherein births had been notified and who would instruct the mothers in the proper way to feed and look after the infants. The Local Government Board having intimated that the intention to make such appointments would be a consideration with them in the case of an application being made to apply the Notification of Births Act, it was not anticipated that the Act would be here set in force, but in November an Order was made to bring it compulsorily into action in Camberwell, and since then its statutory provisions have been carried out but no health visitors have been appointed. It is therefore of interest to continue the comparison of the death-rate per 1,000 births, instituted in previous years between Camberwell and the following Boroughs who have appointed health visitors. Borough. 1906 1907 1908 1909 Camberwell 130 115 104 100 Hammersmith 138 117 120 120 Hampstead 77 69 69 75 Kensington 132 128 119 113 Woolwich 109 112 94 82 Bethanal Green 155 138 132 129 These Boroughs have been selected as they have rather the earlier record of appointments, and, having been quoted in previous reports, a longer term of years is available for comparison. From these figures it is difficult to find any convincing evidences as to the beneficent influence of health visitors in reducing the mortality, and it does not tend to change my opinion that advice is not of much account unless supplemented by material help which would no doubt assist some of the more weakly children to weather the storms and stress of the first year of life. The deaths from diarrhœa of the epidemic form amounted to 59, as compared with 90 last year, a decrease which was shown not only in Camberwell but also in other parts of London, while other forms of diarrhœal diseases showed a slight increase in the former place. There were 13 more deaths through the premature birth of the infant, but 11 fewer of the division which includes injury at birth. In the atrophy, debility, &c., division there were 116 deaths, being 15 more than last year; of these, 52 took place among infants of less than one month, against 40 for the corresponding period of last year. The deaths from pneumonia and bronchitis both showed a reduction, probably due to climatic conditions. The decrease in this year is no doubt greatly dependent on the weather conditions, for however disastrous the summer of 1909 may have been for pleasure-seekers, it was pre-eminently one unfavourable to the prevalence of infantile diarrhœa, one of the most important factors in causing a high rate of infantile mortality. If any benefit is to come from health visitors it will show itself especially in the reduction in the diarrhœa deaths and also in the atrophy class, i.e, those which are in some measures dependent on the quality and quantity of food taken. The deaths classified under this heading have increased from 101 to 115, but on looking more closely into the table it is seen that there were 52 deaths in the first month compared with 40 in the corresponding period of the previous year, and that in the age period of the first two weeks there were seven more deaths than in 1908. The date of the visit paid by the health visitors in those boroughs where they have been appointed does not appear to be uniform, but practically none are made before the end of the first fortnight. Granting even that the health visitors by their advice alone are able to cheek infantile mortality, it would appear that the increase in this class of deaths in Camberwell can hardly be ascribed to the lack of instruction, for even had the visitors been at work the deaths would have occurred before the visits were paid. There were 97 deaths from measles, being 48 more than in the previous year, but two less than in 1907. The two Peckham districts seem to have been most severely attacked, for the excess in these two divisions amounted to 48 over the preceding year, the other registration areas remaining somewhere about the same. The infants' department of several of the elementary schools in the Borough have been closed on account of outbreaks of this disease, and where it has been asked for by the Educational Authority they have been disinfected. In other instances, when that body did not think it necessary to close the school, they gave instructions to their officials to exclude from attendance from school children who had not suffered from a previous attack, but to allow the older ones who were so protected to continue their attendance. No disinfection beyond that mentioned above has been practised, the practice which existed in this Borough up to 1907 now having been. discontinued. The mortality from this disease seems to be quite independent of the disinfection and other preventive measures, for last year, when we adopted the same negative procedure as now, we showed a considerable decrease in mortality, instead of the recurrent increase which has apparently been postponed to the present year. As usual, all the fatal cases, with the exception of five, occurred in persons under the age of five years. The deaths from hooping cough, another fatal disease of childhood, amounted to one more than last year; a few more occurred in South Camberwell, and some less in North Peckham and St. George's, and all these except three were of those under five years of a ge. The deaths from diphtheria were exactly the same as last year, with comparatively little change in the incidence on the respective districts excepting in St. George's, where there were nine more deaths than last year. Early in February of this year a considerable number of cases were notified among children attending Goodrich Road School, and five of which notifications were received from one of the Medical Officers of the London County Council. For the most part these referred to children who had been attending school and who presumably were well enough to do so, but whose throats when examined bacteriologically were found to contain diphtheria bacilli. I immediately visited the houses and found that the children were for the most part quite well, but were under the observation of their own medical attendants, and that an examination of a swab taken from their throats afforded no bacteriological evidence of the disease. So far as four of these were concerned I took no action in the way of disinfection. No further cases occurred in these houses. It will be seen that out of 375 notifications 333 were removed to hospital; and in all those cases which were not so removed, they were satisfactorily isolated at home, except in one instance of a mild attack, which was reported to the Public Health Committee, when it was decided to caution the parents. On enquiry, the usual excuse was made that as the child did not seem very ill it could not have diphtheria. A case of small-pox was notified to us in a man who, on a voyage from Alexandria to Marseilles, had been in contact with a fellow-traveller who had some spots on his face and hands. Measures were at once taken for his removal to hospital, and the vaccination of all who were willing to undergo the operation, and the disinfection of the house. No other persons were attacked. We were able to obtain the names of some who had been in contact with him during the voyage, and these names were forwarded to the Medical Officers of Health for the districts concerned. Apart from these, the only other fact worth recording in the past year about this disease was an intimation I had of chicken-pox in an adult. As this is a somewhat rare occurrence, I visited the patient, who had been employed in the East End, and who had returned home ill to his lodgings in Peckham, but found there was no reason to suppose his illness to be anything else than chicken-pox. Complaint was received from a house in Peckham in respect of a child suffering from scarlet fever who had been returned as cured from one of the Asylums board's Hospitals; and two other children were taken away shortly after suffering from the same disease. The Asylums Board wrote and said that one of the suspected cases was ultimately considered to be tonsilitis; and that the other two were of a mild, anomalous character, but probably scarlet fever. The number of deaths from scarlet fever continued the downward progress and again exhibited a remarkable lowering of the case mortality. In the year there were 27 fewer notifications of this disease, but the deaths were only 16 compared with the low number of 24 in 1908. As there were over a thousand cases reported it means that the case mortality for the past year shows an extraordinary reduction from the figures of ten or twelve years ago. The notifications were 1,029, compared with 1,032 in 1908 and 1,532 in 1907. It is quite possible that the actual case mortality is even lower, for owing to the mild type of the disease it is probable that many cases escape notification altogether. There has been no special treatment introduced which could account for the lowering of the mortality, and it would seem either that we have a resistent population growing up or else that the infecting agent of this disease is losing its virulence. There were 13 notifications of puerperal fever, being three more than in 1908, and of these four terminated fatally. Every nurse who has attended any one suffering from this disease has been required, directly we hear, to come to see me at the Town Hall so that it is certain that her hands have been properly disinfected and that all the other necessary precautions have been taken. There were no notifications of cholera, and the only work carried out in respect of this disease was the visiting by the Sanitary Inspectors of persons coming from infected ports and who gave their destinations to the Port Medical Officer as being some address in Camberwell. It was found not infrequently, however, that they did not arrive at the house given. One person who had been described as unwell by the Port Medical Officer I visited myself, but found he was suffering from nothing more than a temporary indisposition. Two outbreaks of enteric fever which occurred in two distinct localities in Dulwich, and apparently unconnected one with the other, are remarkable in the way of showing how this disease, while not, to use a popular term, catching, may under certain conditions be passed on from one person to another. In the first outbreak, a child was attacked by some obscure form of illness, and was nursed by her mother, who, a few weeks later, started to be ill. When she became incapable of looking after the first patient, a daughter returned from service to take charge of affairs, and she too was attacked, and down to February of this year cases kept on cropping up at this house. With the gradual disablement of the members of the household, a married daughter came to the rescue, her husband meanwhile staying at home. The daughter escaped the disease, but the husband was attacked, and that fatally. Careful questioning brought out the fact that he had occasionally taken his meals at the infected house, so that there was little doubt about the origin of infection. The food, milk and water supply were all reviewed, but nothing could be found in any way likely to suggest that they were at fault. The second set of cases occurred only a short distance away from the first, but were apparently unconnected with it. The cases occurred in two adjoining houses occupied by two sisters, each of them married and having a family. Here again no question of food arose; but the policy of exclusion led to the same conclusion as in the first series: for there was a lengthy and undiagnosed illness of one man followed by attack of other members of the same family. The subject of continuing the supervision of those who had been suffering from enteric fever, but who had apparently recovered from the disease, has been already mentioned. During 1909 there were 12 specimens of urine and faeces taken from those who at the time of leaving hospital were still passing typhoid bacilli in their dejecta although quite well in all other respects. The investigation is now amplified to include all persons discharged from the Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospitals. There are some of these who apparently try in every way, even at some personal inconvenience, to co-operate with this investigation, but with the majority it seems impossible to arouse them into a of the duty they owe to themselves and their neighbours in aiding anything which may throw a light on the disease, and this among those where deaths had occurred. Perhaps if one tried to collect the specimens garbed as a policeman fear and ignorance might achieve what an appeal to reason cannot. In each notification of enteric fever careful enquiries were made, not only as regards suspected articles of food, but also as to whether the persons attacked had been in association with any one who had suffered from this disease. There were 12 more notifications than in 1908 and 3 fewer deaths, only 4 having been recorded. In the words of Osler, it is "everywhere an index of the sanitary intelligence of a community." There were 1,038 notifications received under the new Order which came into force on June 1st, 1909, which renders it obligatory for Poor Law Medical Officers to notify to the local Medical Officer of Health all cases of consumption which they are called on to treat, and the Relieving Officers have also to report cases of which they may become acquainted with, and any subsequent removal of such person. It must not, however, be assumed that the notifications received represent actual cases, for by careful sifting we have come down to 509 persons concerned; even now it is quite possible that some duplicate notifications have slipped through. Duplicate notifications occurred in 164 instances, triplicate in 228, and more than this in regard to 56 patients. The largest number of notifications of one single individual was nine, and this figure was reached by two persons. In October, 1909, an attempt was started to visit the notified cases at regular intervals, first with the idea of keeping the houses in the best possible condition for the patient, and, secondly, in hopes of getting information as to other early cases in the same household. The number of notifications dealt with by each Inspector is less than the total number received on account of some cases having been notified from the Infirmary, Gordon Road, and even some place beyond the Borough boundary. At the first visit the Inspector fills up a card showing the condition of the house as regards overcrowding, cleanliness, dryness, lighting and ventilation, and at the second visit he supplements this by mentioning the state of health of other inhabitants of the same house, especially as regards coughs, wasting, &c. The result of this inspection showed that the homes were unsatisfactory in these respects in 159 instances, and that the defect most generally met with was a dirty condition of the premises. There were 74 reports of overcrowding, some of them being due to the fact that with the gradual dwindling of earnings the amount available for rent had so far diminished that it was necessary to curtail the number of rooms occupied. Visits are then paid at about two-monthly intervals for a year after the notification, and if any person in the house is found suffering from cough, wasting, or general ill-health, he is advised to seek proper advice, and, if necessary, assistance would be forthcoming to get hospital letters. During the year 26 intimations have been received from Brompton Hospital of patients attending there who live in Camberwell. Visits have been paid to these houses and enquiries made as to the existence of anyone else whose illness might be supposed to be tuberculous in origin. Similar action has also been taken in the cases that have been notified to us from other hospitals and the School Medical Officers. In the case of the notifications from Brompton the information has been supplemented by the offer which the authorities of that institution empower us to make of a medical examination of any suspicious case in the house. This offer has, however, not been made use of to my knowledge even in instances where there were possibly other cases at the house in question. As heretofore, we have always offered disinfection of all houses where a death has occurred, and this has been supplemented by a personal visit from myself to make enquiries about the possible origin of the disease. Up to the present there has been no difficulty in securing beds for the notified cases who were ready to go into the Infirmary, but it has not infrequently happened that there have been persons whose circumstances and condition rendered it practically impossible for them to receive the proper food and attention at home, and yet who have persistently refused to yield to persuasion and enter one of the Poor-law institutions. In some of these instances it was due to the fact that although the patient's earnings were small they did keep the home together, and prevented the inevitable break-up which would follow the removal. This course no doubt delayed but usually did not prevent the final catastrophe. It is early in the day to speculate on the effect, whether valuable or no, of the new Order, but the result of enquiries does warrant the opinion that the bulk of the people, even of the very poorest, believe in the infectivity of the disease, and do indeed take the precautions which are recommended according to their lights and capabilities. One should therefore, if the prevailing trend of thought in favour of the person to person infectivity being an important factor in the prevalence of the disease be the correct one, be seeing a decrease much more pronounced than the gradual decline which has been proceeding for so many years and which has been going side by side with the gradual improvement that has taken place in the circumstances of housing and food. In making my enquiries the influence of want was very strongly brought home to me, and it leads one to the opinion that unless the practical removal of poverty can be ensured, that those who prophesy the disappearance of phthisis within a generation will not justify their power of foresight to those who are to follow in the public health service. Among male occupations, apart from the general labourer, which comprises anything, the one on which the incidence was heaviest was that of carman, probably due to exposure, irregular food, with its usual accompaniment of regular drink. Among women, dressmakers seem to have been frequently attacked, but not a few of those notified are married women who are occupied solely in looking after their homes and in whose cases exist none of the generally ascribed causes of this disease. FACTORY AND WORKSHOPS ACT. In accordance with the provisions of the above Act, I have to submit a report of the work carried out under its enactments. There were 3,806 inspections of factories, workplaces and workshops, and as a consequence there were 187 written notices served; these for the most part related to the lack of cleanliness, unsuitable or defective sanitary accommodation. In most cases the works ordered were carried out under the notice, but in two instances it was necessary to prosecute. 1.—Inspection. Including Inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors or Inspectors of Nuisances. Number of Premises. Written Notices. Prosecutions. Inspections. 25 Factories (including Factory Laundries) 252 - Workshops (including Workshop Laundries) 79 2,717 - Workplaces (other than Outworkers Premises included in Part 3 of this Report) 33 837 - Total 3,806 137 - 2. —Defects Found. Particulars. Number of Defects. Number of Prosecutions. Remedied. Referred to H.M. Inspector. Found. Nuisances under the Public Health Acts:—* 47 - - 47 Want of Cleanliness 1 1 - Want of Ventilation - 4 4 - Overcrowding - Want of Drainage of Floors 11 11 - - 45 45 Other Nuisances - 2 Sanitary Accommodation— 7 Insufficient 7 - - Unsuitable or Defective 47 47 - - Not separate for Sexes 5 5 - - Offences under the Factory and Workshop Act: — Illegal Occupation of Underground Bakehouse (s. 101) — - - - Breach of Special Sanitary Requirements for Bakehouses (ss. 97 to 100) - - - - Other Offences (excluding Offences relating to Outwork which are included in Part 3 of this Report) - - - - Total 167 167 2 - *Including those specified in Sections 2, 3, 7, and 8 of the Factory and Workshop Act as remediable under the Public Health Acts. 3.—Home Work. Number of Inspections of Outworkers' premises. Outwork in Unwholesome Premises Section 108. Outwork in Infected PREMTSES, Sections 109,110. *Nature of Work. Outworkers' Lists, Section 107. Instances. Prosecutions. Instances. Orders made (Sec. 110.) Prosecutions (Secs. 109,110.) Prosecutions. Notices served. Lists received from Employers. Numbers of Addresses of Outworkers received from other Councils. Numbers of Addresses of Outworkers forwarded to other Councils. Failing to keep or permit inspection of lists. Failing to send lists. Twice in the year. Once in the year. Lists OutWorkers. Lists. Outworkers. Contractors Workmen. Contractors Workmen. I I .. L. Wearing Apparel— L. 31 190 409 - - 1,040 14 - - - - 144 72 1,397 22 9 1482 (1) making, &c. - - - - - - (2) cleaning and washing - - - - - 20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lace, lace curtains and nets - 2 - - - - - - Artificial Flowers - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nets, other than Wire Nets - - - - - - - - - - - - Tents - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - 4 - - - - - - - - Sacks - - - - - - - - - - Furniture and Upholstery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fur pulling - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Feather sorting - - - - - - 3 1 - - - 7 - - - - - Umbrellas, &c. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Carding, &c., of Buttons, &c. - - - - - - - - - - 40 - - 16 5 - 56 - 51 - - - Paper Bags and Boxes 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Basket making - - - - - - 10 - - 40 9 26 - - - - - 2 - - Brush making - - - 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - Racquet and Tennis Balls - - - - - - - - - - - - Stuffed Toys - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - File making - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Electro plate - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cables and Chains - - - - - - - - - - Anchors and Grapnels - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cart Gear - - - - - - - - Looks, Latches and Keys - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pea picking - - - - - - - 1,098 37 14 150 1,493 22 9 190 1,576 451 - - - - - Total 72 - I—14 No instances occurred of any outwork going on in infected premises. In the majority of the 31 instances where it was going on in unwholesome premises the condition was due to carelessness or inattention to cleanliness on the part of the occupier, and therefore remediable immediately, and in only 16 instances was it necessary to serve a formal notice. 4. —Registered Workshops. Workshops and Workplaces on the Register (s. 131) at the end of the year. Number. Important classes of workshops, such as workshop bakehouses, may be enumerated here. Laundries 81 Clothing (wholesale and private) 391 Preparation of food 185 Building trades 73 Bakehouses 159 Miscellaneous 989 Total number of workshops on Register 1,878 During the year a careful examination was made of the rate books of the Council with a view of finding out any workshops which had escaped observation. Partly from this cause, and partly from a natural increase of workplaces in the Borough, the number on the register has gone up from 1,355 to 1,878. 5. —Other Matters. Class. Number. Matters notified to H.M. Inspector of Factories:— Failure to affix Abstract of the Factory and Workshop Act (s. 133) 38 Action taken in matters referred by H.M. Inspector as remediable under the Public Health Acts, but not under the Factory] and Workshop Act (8. 5) Notified by H.M. Inspector 10 6 Reports (of action taken) sent to H.M. Inspector Other - Underground Bakehouses (s. 101):— Certificates granted during the year - In use at the end of the year 63 A resolution was moved in the Committee in respect to a certain factory, but it was really intended to call attention to the fact that there are now three Inspectors concerned in the details of the work carried out there, viz., the Factory Inspector from the Home Office, for the sanitary condition of the workshop; the Sanitary Inspector of the Borough Council, with regard to the provision of water-closets for the workers; and an Inspector of the County Council, concerning the means of escape in the case of fire. It certainly does seem as if some re-arrangement of this and other matters where there is dual and even trinal control could he managed; it would do away with the complaint, which is not unjustifiable, that the people are over-inspected. Judging from the remarks I have heard I do not think that twelve visits made by one Inspector would be so annoying to a master as six visits divided up among three, but if one Inspector were the only one concerned, all questions could be decided at one visit. During the year there were several cases of overcrowding reported in the Hollington Street Area, where there was a comparatively small deficiency of cubic capacity as measured in accordance with the requirements of the by-laws regulating houses let in lodgings. I recommended that in these cases the Committee should take no action, because in each case the cause of the overcrowding was poverty, and I thought it would be better not to interfere with the overcrowding, rather than have the people turned out to suffer greater ills in other ways. In the spring of the year I carried out with the Inspector a visitation of the Hollington Street area, in respect both of the Council's houses and those belonging to private owners. A copy of my report is given below. Hollington Street Area. In the course of my inspection of the Hollington Street area I have visited 205 houses; 100 of these belonging to the Borough Council, and 105 being the property of private owners. The number of houses inspected in each street is as follows: Hollington Street, 50; Sultan Street, 45; Crown Street, 35; Bowyer Street, 29; Toulon Street, 12: Pitman Street, 15; Gauge Street, 8; Thompson's Avenue, 4; Sultan Terrace, 4: Brown's Ten-ace, 3. Total, 205. The defects observed at each are subdivided under the headings of overcrowding, condition and sanitary defects, chiefly defective roofs, guttering and yard paving. Overcrowding. Number of Houses Inspected. Occupied Rooms. Empty Rooms. Overcrowded Rooms. Property belonging to Borough Council 38 100 531 62 Property belonging to Private Owners 105 520 11 30 Totals 1,051 205 73 68 SANTARN DEFECTS, &c (INCLUDING A,B AND C). Number of Houses requiring Cleansing only. Number of Houses with Sanitary Defects only. Number of Houses requiring Cleansing and Sanitary Defects also. Property belonging to Borough Council 35 11 10 Property belonging to Private Owners 25 15 49 Totals 59 60 26 (Included in Sanitary Defects, Table III.) A.-Drainage Defects. Drains. Waterclosets. Defective pans or traps. Defective water supply. Obstructed. Def. Obs. - Property belonging to Borough Council 1 3 8 - Property belonging to Private Owners 4 1 12 4 1 Totals 4 4 20 2 4 B.—Sinks. Defective. Obstructed Waste pipes. Property belonging to Borough Council 1 1 Property belonging to Private Owners 1 1 Totals 2 2 C.—Defective Dust-bins. (Included in Sanitary Defects.) Property belonging to Borough Council 1 prerty belonging to Private Owners 14 Total 15 It may appear that the proportion of notices to inspections is high, but it should be noticed that the inspection took place in many cases before the annual cleansing, when the property is in a worse condition than at any other time. As an instance of how soon signs of wear show themselves, I find that some of the staircases which had been cleaned 111 April were now (at the beginning of June) showing considerable traces of use; and I do not see how this is to be avoided, except by matchboarding the walls about 3 feet up. viz., to such a height as will prevent the smaller children from rubbing against the walls as they go up and down. Speaking generally Hollington Street, Sultan Street, and Bowyer (formerly Beckett) Street are the best in this area, in past times poetically but inaccurately described as the "Black Spot of Camberwell." In my opinion they have never been so bad, especially in the two former streets, as it has been the fashion to paint them for the past fifteen years, and now that some of the older houses in Bowyer Street have been removed the appearance of this street is considerably improved; and from a sanitary point of view the widening of the road is most beneficial. Whether so much good will accrue from the substitution of two-family dwellings for the single cottages, lam not so confident; but most of the old cottages, particularly at the west end, were beyond repair, and of those that remain few are beyond reproach. There are other badly designed blocks in Crown Street between Nos. 21 and 31 and 41 to 49, where, from the design of the houses, the interior ventilation and lighting must of necessity be defective. It will be remembered that mention was made with regard to providing an extra closet, but this was avoided by reducing the numbers in the house. Much the same remarks apply to Sultan Terrace. Overcrowding, as will be seen from the tables, is not of a very serious nature, and its existence has occasionally only been discovered by night visits. Judging from the number of empty rooms, it is not owing to lack of accommodation in the area, but due entirely to reasons of poverty. Three inspections by night were made, on May 29th, July 3rd, and September 11th respectively, resulting in finding eight cases of overcrowding. The dust-bins are usually too small, especially in the Borough Council's property, where they are ordinarily in a better condition than in those of the private owners; accumulations of dust were found to be frequent. The keeping of live stock in the yards, apart from pigeons, has almost disappeared, and in the case of the last I have usually turned a blind eye, unless serious blockage of light and air or other nuisance should arise, on account of the advisability of leaving the inhabitants some hobby. Many of the eases of overcrowding have been remedied by a re-arrangement of the inhabitants, while others have been reported to the Public Health Committee. The following houses should be registered so as to bring them under the regulations which have been productive of so much good in this area:— Crown Street, Nos. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 17, and 2, 4, 6, 10 and 12; Hollington Street, No. 62; Sultan Street, No. 3; Bowyer Street, Nos. 6 and 56; Gange Street, Nos. 5, 6 and 11; Pitman Street, Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 27, 29. In conclusion I should express my indebtedness to Inspector Malins, who is responsible for this district, and also point out that an excellent object lesson may be learned from this district of the advantages of asphalte roadways, frequent scavenging, and the planting of trees. (Signed) FRANCIS STEVENS, Medical Officer of Health. The registered houses as let in lodgings are for the most part situated in this area, but several fresh registrations have been made during the year in Peckham with opposition comparatively little to that which we formerly experienced when landlords were informed of the intention of the Council to register their property. Every house on the register in April, 1909, was visited and dealt with according to the by-laws, and subsequent inspections were made where insanitary conditions were likely to occur. The Housing Committee asked for a revision of the procedure adopted by the Public Health Committee with regard to the service of sanitary intimations concerning the Council's property, and urged that instead of serving notices in the ordinary way, a counterfoil book should be provided and written notice be left with the Council's Housing Manager. They considered that if this were done, urgent matters could at once be attended to. During the time of the late Inspector Perry, it was his custom to leave a memorandum at the Council's Estate Office stating the nuisances he discovered, but it did not work well; in fact, not mincing words, it was a great failure. So far as the question of delay is concerned, all urgent matters are at once notified at the office of the Housing Manager, and all intimations sent on the next day. But it must be pointed out that the majority of the notices sent to the Council's Housing Manager relate to matters which are not so pressing, such as cleansing, &c. At the conference of the two Committees it was moved: "That in the opinion of this conference the practice with regard to the service of intimations in respect of the Council's property in the Hollington Street Area which was in force in the time of the late Inspector Perry should be reverted to, and an interleaved carbon book provided for the purpose" This, however, was not carried, and although the proposed alteration was not a very great one, there would have been no saving of labour, but rather additional trouble must arise in keeping two distinct records of intimations served—one for ordinary owners, and one for the Borough Council; and further, if any other large owner of property should wish to be treated in the same way, the Council could hardly consistently refuse, for it has been frequently stated on behalf of the Housing Committee that they do not desire preferential treatment. The question of principle, however, seems to me to be very much larger, and I am bound to say that I look with suspicion and distrust on any action which even in the slightest degree makes a distinction in the procedure adopted towards the private owner on the one hand and the Borough Council on the other. With the present Housing Committee such a thing is of course unthinkable; but by some future Committee not over-scrupulous in their methods it might well be made use of as the thin end of the wedge to secure different and preferential treatment. Draft by-laws were submitted by the London County Council in respect of fried-fish vendors, fish curers, and rag and bone dealers. The frequency of removal was set out in the draft as twice a week from May to October; but from experience of these businesses, I did not think this to be sufficiently frequent, and I recommended, which recommendation was adopted by the Committee, that it should be three times a week during those months. The proceedings in connection with the reconstruction of the urinal belonging to a beerhouse in the Old Kent Road involved a good deal of discussion. The brewers wished to rebuild the urinal, which was not then even good of its kind; but the proposal met the most strenuous opposition from some of the neighbours, who wished it closed up altogether. The Committee eventually adopted the view, which I am convinced was the right one, that to close the urinal would inevitably lead to a worse condition of things, and they therefore decided that reconstruction should be allowed provided the design and entrance were of such a nature as to minimise any nuisance. Complaints are still received from the grain-drying works referred to in my previous reports, and the premises have been kept under strict observation. There can be little doubt that under some weather conditions, or when the grains are no longer fresh, the means adopted for the avoidance of the smell fail in their action and give a cause of grievance to the neighbours. In justice, however, to the owners of the works, I ought to mention that complaints of smell have been made by persons on the west side of the factory when the wind has been blowing from that quarter, that is, towards the supposed source of smell. The complaints of delay or of difficulty in getting the dust removed have not been so frequent. They are at once referred to the Borough Engineer's Department, and it is usually found that the delay has been due to no one being at home when the dustmen called. No complaints have been received of nuisance caused at the wharves when the contents of the dust carts are discharged into the barges. The return of articles of food that have been destroyed includes not only those in respect of compulsory proceedings having been taken, but also those which have been voluntarily surrendered; among the latter class is included practically the whole of the fish which is specified as having been dealt with in the destructor. The slaughter-houses have been visited at intervals, and also once by myself prior to the annual licensing. It was not found necessary to oppose any applications for these places. The meat that was seized was taken on account of its unwholesome condition, none having been condemned during the year on account of tubercle or any other disease. Following the usual custom, inspection was made of the meat in the various restaurants in the Borough on a given day, notice being only given to the Inspectors in the morning. The result was satisfactory, for the examinations showed that the intended food was of wholesome quality. Twenty-seven samples of milk were taken for examination bacteriologically and the tubercle bacillus was not discovered in any of them. There were the usual inspections of the cowhouses, &c, which amounted to 217, excluding those which I made myself before the meeting of the Licensing Committee of the London County Council. They were usually found in such good condition that it was only necessary to serve notices in respect of them in 2 instances. The inspections of shops where milk is sold amounted to 413, and in regard to 45 of them the report was unsatisfactory, one of the most frequent defects being carelessness in leaving the milk uncovered and exposed to contamination from the dust blown in from the street, as well as that arising in the shop. It was found that the small general shops that sold milk, taken as a class, did not compare unfavourably with the dairies. The special appointment of a Meat Inspector was recommended by me and discussed by the Committee, and the late Inspector Kerslake, one of your officers who had obtained the special meat certificate of the Royal Sanitary Institute, was considered to have strong claims for the post, but it was eventually decided to make no such appointment, but that all the Inspectors would have formal authority given to them to seize food in any part of the Borough instead of their powers as heretofore being confined to their own particular districts. The number of complaints shows a slight diminution, but the inspections they gave rise to were a few more than last year. The house-to-house inspections also show a falling off, due to the illness of Inspectors Kerslake and Homer. The other items in the tables of Inspectors' work, while revealing much activity, do not call for any detailed notice, except that item of light and ventilation to staircases, when it will be seen that these were provided in 98 instances through our persuading the owners. Since the Council lost a case it was felt that, although opinions of your officials have not changed, that before a summons was issued it should be specially reported to the Committee. Only in respect of one house was it necessary to have a survey for this purpose, when the Committee unanimously decided to issue a summons. The work, however, was proceeded with when the owner was informed of the decision of the Committee. The death of Inspector Kerslake was a loss alike to the Council and the ratepayers, for his zeal in the interests of the former did not mean his overlooking the fact that the latter had also opinions and rights which could not be overlooked, and during the whole of his fifteen years' service I can safely say he always enjoyed the entire confidence of both parties. In conclusion, I have to express my sincere thanks to the Committee for their unfailing consideration and to the officials for the help they have always been so ready to give. I am, Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, FRANCIS STEVENS. TABLE I. VITAL STATISTICS OF WHOLE DISTRICT DURING 1909 AND PREVIOUS YEARS. Year. Population estimated to Middle of each Year. Births. Deaths under One Year of Age. Deaths at all Ages. Total. Deaths in Public Institutions. 9 Deaths of Nonresidents registered in District. 10 Deaths of Residents registered beyond District. 11 Number. 12 Number. 3 Rate. * 4 Number. 5 Number. 7 Rate.* 8 Rate per 1,000 Births registered. 6 265,385 7,443 28·0 1,181 158·6 4,941 2,200 732 484 4,693 1899 18·6 1900 269,276 7,211 26·7 1,107 153·5 4,748 17·6 2,188 767 474 4,455 1901 259,660 7,260 1,033 142·2 802 4,283 27·9 4,576 17·6 2,224 509 1902 261,309 7,333 1,035 141·1 818 28·06 5,474 17·5 2,304 516 4,272 262,968 7,286 741 1903 27·7 893 122·5 4,004 15·2 1,768 366 3,629 7,242 445 1904 265,139 27·3 1,084 148·3 4,352 16·4 1,475 776 4,021 1905 267,601 6,939 25·9 865 124·7 1,468 3,713 4,067 15·2 849 495 1906 270,153 7,020 134·1 4,312 1,524 808 3,999 25·9 942 15·9 495 1907 805 1,508 272,479 6,733 24·7 119·5 4,217 15·4 873 479 3,823 273,836 6,885 25·1 740 107·4 3,922 14·3 1,553 839 519 3,602 1908 Averages for years 1899 to 1908 266,782 7,135 26·7 968 135·1 4,461 16·3 1,821 478 4,049 800 1909 6,689 687 102·7 4,098 14·8 1,669 814 494 3,778 275,275 24·3 *Rates in Columns 4, 8, and 13 calculated per 1.000 of estimated population. TABLE II. VITAL STATISTICS OF SEPARATE LOCALITIES IN 1909 AND PREVIOUS YEARS. Names of Localities. 2. Dulwich. 3. South Camberwell. 1. Borough. 4. North Camberwell. Year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births Registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Camberwell. b c a. d a c d b I a b c d 265,385 7,443 4,693 1,181 8,018 101 85 9 1899 96,379 2,443 1,475 371 269,276 4,455 1,107 8,178 98,335 1900 7,211 109 83 8 2,356 1,401 315 7,260 1,033 10,247 1901 259,660 4,283 125 77 15 2,295 90,186 1,259 284 117 1902 261,309 7,333 4,272 1,035 11,275 91 32 90,510 1,316 290 1903 85 2,401 262,968 7,286 3,629 140 9 901 11,214 92,079 2,341 1,209 279 am 1904 265,139 7,242 4,021 92 1,084 14,295 181 13 100,028 2,735 1,275 306 1905 6,939 208 145 22 267,601 865 14,677 3,713 110,648 2,731 1,483 322 I ... I a b c d a b c d 1906 270,153 7,020 3,999 942 15,130 232 144 17 1,036 531 66,598 1,703 194 45,125 138 1,034 1907 272,479 6,733 3,823 805 15,600 212 12 45,915 991 82 1,607 1,002 141 516 67,195 209 273,856 16,170 518 6,885 3,602 740 222 136 17 46,400 79 67,440 1,684 964 221 1908 1,089 Averages of Years 1899 to 1908 266,782 7,135 4,049 969 12,480 164 107 15 I 102,611 2,541 1,398 309 275,275 6,689 3,778 687 235 162 19 497 81 67,516 1,591 1909 16,447 47,309 1,036 165 970 TABLE II. -Continued. Names of Localities. 6. North Peckham. 7. St. George's. 5. South Peckham. Year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 Year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each Year. Deaths under 1 year. Deaths at all Ages. Births Registered. Peckham. a d a b c d b c 1,394 1899 2,669 1,735 429 69,520 2,230 372 91,476 1900 92,495 70,305 2,041 1,307 354 2,705 1,664 430 1901 93,038 398 65,589 1,234 336 2,742 1,713 2,098 1902 65,640 2,062 1,256 333 94,548 2,753 380 1,609 1903 284 94,286 65,283 2,041 1,005 2,764 1,330 329 1904 94,323 47,449 1,056 326 2,613 1,474 439 1,713 1,386 740 198 1905 94,849 2,611 1,345 323 47,420 b c d a b c d a 1906 45,585 1,064 715 158 49,682 1,492 824 224 48,033 1,493 751 211 45,831 48,066 1,051 582 118 49,872 1,463 217 1907 804 1,409 778 167 45,943 1,105 559 117 49,769 150 48,134 647 1908 1,402 778 1,383 156 I 94,169 2,643 1,513 371 57,543 1,016 Averages of Years 1899 to 1908 1,785 273 46,025 594 93 49,827 1,442 832 177 723 1909 1,007 48,151 1,378 152 It lias not been possible to correctly allot the deaths of persons removed to Public Institutions and of whose previous address we were unaware. See also report respecting the alteration in boundaries of the sub-districts. A pro rata distribution has been made in respect to the " unattached " births. TABLE III.—CASES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE NOTIFIED DURING THE YEAR 1909. Cases Notified in Whole District. Total Cases Notified in each Locality. No. of Cases Removed to Hospital from each Locality. At all Ages. At Ages—Years. South Camberwell. North Camberwell. South Peckham. North Peckham. St. George's. South Camberwell. North Camberwell. North Peckham. Total Cases removed to Hospital. Notifiable Disease. St. George's. South Peckham. Dulwich. Dulwich. Under 1. 1 to 5. 5 to 15. 15 to 25. 25 to 65. 65 and upwards. ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... Small-pox 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... 73 Diphtheria including Membranous Croup) 375 9 146 13 44 67 69 19 ... 95 73 32 60 68 188 23 15 89 333 27 234 43 15 7 Erysipelas 3 12 22 28 140 29 7 32 58 67 1 3 14 13 53 262 32 305 155 1,029 9 637 89 36 187 143 203 21 146 277 136 135 192 907 Scarlet Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Typhus Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 24 3 5 7 16 10 16 Enteric Fever 47 ... 1 13 9 6 2 3 5 10 4 40 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... Relapsing Fever ... ... ... ... .. ... ... Continued Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever 13 ... 4 9 ... 1 2 3 2 3 2 ... 2 2 2 3 1 10 ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 1 Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis 1 ... ... 4 1 1 1 ... ... 3 ... ... 2 1 ... ... ... 22 861 150 220 70 270 269 327 39 186 368 231 272 I—25 TABLE IV.—CAUSES OF, AND AGES AT, DEATH DURING YEAR 1909. Deaths in or belonging to whole District at subjoined Ages. Deaths in or belonging to Localities (at all Ages). 4 land unders 5. 5 5 and under 15. 6 15 and under 25 8 65 and upwards. 9 Dulwich. 13 North Peckham. 14 St. George's. 7 25 and under 65. 10 South Camberwell. 12 South Peckham. 15 Locality unknown. 3 Under 1. 11 North Camberwell. 16 Deaths in Public Institutions. Causes of Death. 1 2 All Ages. ... Cerebro-spinal Meningitis 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles 68 5 1 7 14 29 31 15 ... 3 97 24 ... ... ... 9 1 ... 7 1 ... Scarlet Fever 16 6 ... ... 1 2 5 ... ... 1 10 8 9 1 Hooping-cough 51 24 24 3 9 13 9 ... ... ... Diphtheria (including Membranous Croup) 13 ... 4 11 10 ... 41 4 28 9 3 ... ... ... ... ... Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Typhus ... ... ... Fever- ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric ... 1 4 1 3 ... 1 1 ... 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ( Other continued ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 5 7 11 Epidemic Influenza 60 ... 1 1 4 21 9 14 13 1 6 Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 83 59 18 1 1 3 1 6 11 20 19 ... 1 Diarrhœa 27 ... 27 2 3 1 10 5 Enteritis 37 5 ... 3 10 6 2 ... 9 7 ... 2 2 ... Gastritis 7 ... ... 1 ... 2 4 ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever ... ... 4 ... 1 2 ... ... ... 2 ... ... 1 ... ... 1 2 ... 1 Erysipelas 4 3 ... ... 1 ... 2 ... ... ... Phthisis (Pulmonary Tuberculosis) 324 7 1 7 44 18 40 43 77 66 14 136 247 10 74 Other Tubercular Diseases 36 28 33 33 27 17 5 38 14 ... 130 17 ... 12 23 Cancer, Malignant Disease ... 62 49 40 44 5 1 3 106 18 254 2 142 36 75 9 70 Bronchitis 381 50 3 4 110 189 44 105 85 61 7 25 77 71 17 85 42 79 73 Pneumonia 321 86 10 84 53 8 30 39 4 ... Pleurisy 6 ... ... ... 4 2 2 1 2 1 ... 1 ... ... Other Diseases of Respiratory Organs 10 ... 4 2 9 4 24 1 7 1 3 4 ... 4 3 Alcoholism Cirrhosis of Liver ... 7 10 ... 44 ... ... 29 15 9 11 7 ... ... 14 5 1 5 12 3 ... ... 17 Venereal Diseases 2 ... 1 5 5 ... ... Premature Birth 127 127 19 17 37 3 23 28 ... 7 ... ... ... ... ... Diseases and Accidents of Parturition ... 1 16 2 ... 2 12 3 5 3 1 3 ... 2 ... Heart Diseases ... 17 160 112 11 50 72 61 52 46 302 13 10 55 ... 15 8 35 19 Accidents 100 19 14 5 4 43 2 12 19 5 30 Suicides 12 1 10 1 1 1 2 5 1 1 2 ... ... ... 1 65 54 11 1 6 19 6 19 14 Convulsions ... ... ... 1 ... ... Defective Vitality 109 107 2 ... 17 18 4 16 30 21 3 15 ... ... ... Interstitial Nephritis & Granular Kidney 41 122 ... 1 4 76 4 9 36 21 27 22 3 66 ... Mental Diseases 20 ... 2 1 3 5 2 6 1 ... ... 18 2 3 ... 2 9 50 42 76 Old Age 327 ... ... 325 84 48 18 93 ... ... All other causes 233 54 171 672 59 36 36 25 283 86 85 126 124 26 168 1291 All causes 687 373 1147 156 480 946 576 814 705 101 3778 148 132 849* * This number refers to the deaths of parishioners, and excludes the deaths of non-residents who were inmates of Southwark Infirmary. TABLE V.-INFANTILE MORTALITY DURING THE YEAR 1909. Deaths from stated Causes in Weeks and Months under One Year of Are. Cause of Death. Under 1 week. 1 to 2 weeks. 2 to 3 weeks. 3 to 4 weeks. Total under 1 month. 1 to 2 months. 2 to 3 months. 3 to 4 months. 4 to 5 months. 5 to 6 months. 6 to 7 months. 7 to 8 months. Common Infectious Diseases :— Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Chicken-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 3 ... ... Scarlet Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diphtheria (including Membranous Croup) ... ... ... 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Hooping Cough 1 1 2 ... 2 1 2 2 2 ... ... ... Diarrhœal Diseases:— _ 3 3 7 5 Diarrhœa, all forms ... ... 8 8 4 4 2 ... 4 4 2 Enteritis, Muco-enteritis, Gastro-enteritis ... 1 1 2 ... 4 5 ... ... Gastritis, Gastro-intestinal Catarrh Wastig Diseases :- ... 1 1 ... 1 4 1 ... ... ... ... ... Wasting Diseases : — ._ I Premature Birth 80 19 14 4 117 7 2 1 ... ... ... ... 2 2 Congenital Defects 10 1 15 3 ... ... 1 ... ... ... Injury at Birth ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... Want of Breast-milk, Starvation 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 7 Atrophy, Debility, Marasmus 25 9 8 52 22 11 4 4 3 3 Tuberculous Diseases:— Tuberculous Meningitis ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 ... 2 1 ... ... Do. Peritonitis: Tabes Mesenterica 1 1 ... 1 ... ... ... 3 1 1 ... ... Other Tuberculous Diseases ... 2 2 ... ... ... ... 4 ... 1 2 ... Erysipelas ... ... 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 4 ... Syphilis 2 3 4 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Rickets ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Meningitis (not Tuberculous) ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 16 1 Convulsions 3 6 6 1 10 6 6 2 1 2 3 Bronchitis ... 1 8 6 1 3 7 3 2 ... 5 Laryngitis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Pneumonia 1 6 2 ... 3 4 6 5 4 3 6 ... Suffocation, overlying 4 2 1 2 9 2 1 2 1 ... ... ... Other Causes 6 1 5 2 ... 1 3 2 3 1 ... 2 129 43 39 24 235 88 56 40 RETURN OF WORK CARRIED OUT AT THE DISINFECTING STATION DURING THE YEAR 1909. December. October. November. January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September Total. Articles Disinfected. 46 94 92 74 80 164 122 1,115 Beds 88 93 40 109 113 168 153 116 164 54 123 106 129 198 179 149 1,628 89 Blankets 83 69 73 69 47 50 62 97 67 63 802 81 Bolsters 41 11 31 14 5 13 49 Books—Public Library 9 22 15 11 14 36 230 - - - Books —Sunday School Library - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Books—Day School Library - - - - - - - - - 66 35 36 409 Cushions 17 62 24 31 26 11 31 34 36 3 7 33 1 4 2 2 3 3 3 5 Curtains (pairs) - - I—27 270 17 9 17 9 22 16 16 21 55 32 47 Carpets 9 65 37 56 61 72 64 53 651 31 56 51 49 56 Mattresses 6 6 2 3 51 Palliasses - 2 2 2 15 2 2 9 233 2,246 106 208 180 179 170 106 175 172 213 328 176 Pillows 137 63 109 115 106 102 61 81 88 109 153 88 1,212 Quilts 136 65 107 55 102 111 146 107 1,407 Sheets 170 114 106 188 1,182 343 1,174 1,176 20,478 Wearing Apparel (Suits, Dresses, &c.) 877 2.591 2.712 1,831 1,784 1,178 1,464 4,166 8 69 8 37 16 11 2 34 9 35 23 30 282 Miscellaneous 30,814 2,084 3,560 2,659 2,628 1,646 1,902 1,129 2,391 5,585 2,218 Total 1,362 3,650 Mattresses Retabbed 3 7 72 64 649 30 56 65 49 56 61 56 51 52 - - 2 6 2 - 3 - 3 16 Palliasses do. - - - 32 36 62 24 26 11 66 45 24 Cushions do. 17 31 30 404 75 93 1,069 47 120 82 54 88 141 79 Total 89 92 109 RETURN OF WORK CAR RIED OUT AT THE DISINFECTING STATION BURING THE YEAR1909 (continued). Articles Disinfected. January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. December. Total Verminous Cases — ■-, m 448 Persons Cleansed 89 309 319 204 196 142 112 8 145 107 246 2,325 Rooms Disinfected 1 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - Bedding do. - - - - - - - - - - 309 90 196 112 448 Total 319 204 142 8 145 107 246 2,326 Articles Destroyed— I i I 87 192 31 159 79 133 62 22 154 107 57 1,182 Palliasses and Mattresses 99 I—28 - - 84 9 - 8 3 - Miscellaneous 9 - - 100 213 183 22 87 159 201 79 162 110 13 3 62 157 1,395 Total 40 317 299 Houses Visited 296 295 190 235 270 321 391 3,610 164 319 513 Rooms Disinfected 72 130 126 146 136 89 127 125 206 152 145 133 1,587 Total 236 426 443 445 431 279 395 473 719 452 5,197 362 536 UNSOUND FOOD, &c., DESTROYED AT DEPOT. Meat. Rabbits. Tinned Food. Vegetables. Chocolate Powder. Fish. cwt. 3 lb. 1 qr. 1 cwt. 3 qrs. 3 lbs. 14 qr. 0 lbs. 2 78 Tins of Sardines. cwt. 3 qr. 1 lbs. 17 cwt. 7 lbs. 7 qr. 0 SUMMARY OF SANITARY WORK FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER, 1909. Morley. Homer. Farmer. Dewey. Malins. Totals. Pointon. Eagle. Seudamore. Collins. Heath. Kerslake. Description of Work. Cleause and limewash 37 268 427 38 127 46 116 223 1,728 121 192 133 60 78 13 53 88 176 151 898 99 94 60 26 Repair guttering, &c. 37 6 60 75 118 59 25 587 15 150 14 28 Ventilate under floors, &c. 11 2 95 3 1 4 14 23 177 6 18 - Abate overcrowding 17 - 2 6 15 14 69 - 4 - 4 7 Abate smoke nuisance 8 5 4 16 3 14 11 98 29 3 Light and ventilate staircase 5 - 55 16 97 59 97 670 79 83 60 49 38 37 Provide, repair, or remove dustbin 14 2 7 18 11 15 26 20 165 36 15 1 Remove refuse or manure 66 103 57 28 22 38 93 95 55 684 78 49 Pave, level, or drain yard, &c 9 1 5 4 - 27 1 1 1 2 - 3 Provide manure pit 32 - 3 2 1 87 - 7 4 14 5 19 Provide sufficient water supply 18 1 5 12 2 1 2 3 14 67 8 1 Provide or reconstruct receptacle (render accessible) 22 5 17 12 16 147 17 5 18 Repair, cover, or cleanse receptacles 19 16 - 705 52 68 68 132 95 26 14 66 101 21 Provide, repair, or remove closets, pans, &c. 62 44 100 103 35 22 41 82 44 93 688 Proper water supply to closet and apparatus 67 57 Ventilate and remove to outside soil pipes, cleanse, repair, and trap drains or sinks 38 21 114 114 5 3 47 75 59 86 756 105 44 5 4 53 3 27 299 45 35 84 21 20 2 Disconnect rain-water pipes, sinks, and other wastes 2 2 1 1 - - - 6 - - - Empty and cleanse cesspools, or drain into sewer - 9 31 2 19 6 - 23 179 11 40 24 14 Totally reconstruct drains 98 21 21 30 48 435 119 22 8 28 5 35 Partially reconstruct drains 5 3 12 6 2 2 6 2 46 Animals to be kept clean or removed 3 5 - - - 1 - 1 - - 6 Public conveniences—cleanse, supply with water, &c. 3 1 - - 3 2 4 1 10 31 4 6 1 Private conveniences—cleanse, supply with water, &c. - - - 2 - 4 2 - - - - - - - 1 Abate nuisance from offensive trades - - 23 2 16 4 - - - - - Abate nuisance from road gullies - 4 20 383 - 77 3 27 29 1 42 158 RETURN OF WORK PERFORMED IN THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT DURING THE 52 WEEKS ENDING DECEMBER, 1909. Description of Work. INSPECTORS Totals. Pointon. Eagle Seudamore. Collins. Heath. Kerslake. Morley. Homer. Farmer. Dewey. Malins. Miss Bevan. Complaints 81 89 151 44 55 18 72 151 86 132 76 4 959 Inspections arising from complaints 121 124 189 145 57 22 69 172 191 138 108 2 1,338 House to house inspections 605 573 268 309 548 59 380 347 348 382 776 - 4,595 Tenement houses inspected 2 - - 4 201 3 9 11 16 179 87 - 512 Houses let in lodgings inspected - - 5 - - - - 56 - 18 773 - 852 New buildings inspected 86 13 - 142 8 1 184 6 6 18 10 - 474 Visits to new buildings 188 55 2 1587 96 8 963 3 28 87 121 - 3,138 No. of inspections of slaughterhouses 21 25 3 53 7 4 - 7 - 3 6 - 129 Do do. bakehouses 74 32 49 44 20 20 73 81 110 54 56 - 613 Do. do. cowhouses and dairies 54 58 3 39 9 1 5 5 10 32 1 - 217 Do. do. milk shops 174 89 201 45 83 55 116 155 105 166 152 - 1,341 Do. do. ice cream shops 78 28 34 24 39 30 59 49 45 20 17 - 423 Do. do. railway stations 29 4 10 50 - - 17 - - 1 - - 111 Do. do. workshops 135 76 65 237 56 146 52 42 220 118 130 584 1,861 Do. do. urinals, public 85 52 - - 11 3 30 66 6 3 1 357 7 39 Do. do. do. private 166 308 212 151 168 48 304 386 471 134 235 - 2,583 Do. do. schools, L.C.C. 41 56 28 38 21 19 35 68 82 72 63 2 525 Do. do. do. private 57 5 3 49 9 10 56 8 65 8 44 12 326 Do. do. laundries 64 7 - 2 3 - 8 16 15 3 - 125 243 Do. do. re overcrowding 69 3 23 3 1 1 8 23 - 32 106 1 270 Do. do. eating houses 61 21 22 5 28 15 19 28 13 18 36 114 380 Do. do. factories 55 - - 6 12 1 - 31 - - 42 105 252 Do. do. reoutworkers - - - - - - 1 - - - - 1,095 1,096 Miscellaneous 157 32 99 81 29 31 126 298 18 670 499 1,048 3,098 Re-inspections 3,290 4,112 3,308 3,129 1,783 540 3,601 3,265 4,462 2,066 2,206 178 31,940 No. of infected houses 101 155 260 103 97 145 195 143 218 6 1,620 19 178 80 Do. do. re-visited 96 18 118 52 4 11 45 158 48 70 700 - Measles 1 - - - 1 - - - 14 - - 16 - Intimations served under P.H. Act 495 605 313 305 301 67 308 243 531 532 804 66 4,570 Statutory notices under P.H. Act 93 177 111 81 10 44 14 152 93 142 16 1,016 83 Notices re houses let in lodgings - - - - - - - 47 - 34 96 - 177 Summonses under the P.H. Act 3 4 21 1 5 1 - 5 3 8 - 52 1 Small-pox contacts 4 - 1 7 - - 18 15 2 98 - 145 - Cholera do. - 21 6 12 - 5 24 - 10 9 - - 87 Tuberculosis Regulation 61 - 185 4 6 - 26 24 20 63 66 - PROCEEDINGS DURING 1909 (as asked for by the London County Council). Number of Places. Number of Inspections, 1909. Number of Notices, 1909. Number of Prosecutions, 1909. On Register at end of 1908. Added in 1909. Removed in 1909. On Register at end of 1909. REMISES. Milk Premises 34 1 1,341 616 43 55 604 - 3 217 2 - - Cowsheds 17 14 1 14 129 2 Slaughterhouses 15 - - 6 6 - - - 423 Other Offensive Trade Premises 1 219 Ice Cream Premises 216 27 24 - 11 (a) Nil (b) Nil Registered Houses Let in Lodgings 804 (a)* 100 (b) 356 217 37 254 - (a) For overcrowding. (b) For other conditions. Total Number of Intimation Notices served for all purposes 4,570 Overcrowding, 1909: — Number of dwelling rooms overcrowded 177 Number remedied 177 Number of prosecutions 1 Underground Rooms:— Illegal occupation dealt with during year Nil Number of rooms closed Nil Insanitary Houses:— Number closed under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891 Nil Number closed under the Housing of the Working Classes Act Nil Number of Verminous Premises cleansed under Section 20 of the L.C.C. (General Powers) Act, 1904 30 Shelters provided under Section 60 (4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891:— Number of persons accommodated during the year Nil Revenue Acts:- Number of houses for which applications were received during year 40 Number of tenements comprised therein 67 Number of tenements for which certificates were— (a) Granted 13 (b) Refused Nil (c) Deferred 54 Number of Prosecutions under By-lares under Public Health Act, 1891:- (a) For prevention of nuisance arising from snow, ice, salt, filth, &c. Nil (b) For prevention of nuisance arising from offensive matter running out of any manufactory, &c. Nil (c) For the prevention of keeping of animals in such a manner as to be injurious to health Nil (d) As to paving of yards, &c., of dwelling houses 4 (e)* In connection with the removal of offensive matter, &c. 3 (f) As to cesspools and privies, removal and disposal of refuse, &c. 17 (g) For securing the cleanliness of tanks, cisterns, &c. Nil (h) With respect to water closets, earth closets, etc. Nil (i) With respect to sufficiency of water supply to water closets 2 (j) With respect to drainage, &c. (Metropolis Management Act, Section 202) 19 (k) With respect to deposit of plans as to drainage, &c. (Metropolis Management Acts Amendment (By-laws) Act, 1899) Nil Mortuaries:— Total number of bodies removed 321 Total number of infectious bodies removed 8 Age Distibution. Number of Persons Notified. Patients who have left Borough since Notification. Number of Notifications recevied. Patients left Address since Notification for other Addresses in the Borough. 1 year to 5. 5 to 15. 15 to 25. 25 to 65. 65 and upwards. Inspections and Re-visits made by Sanitary Inspector. District No. Sanitary Inspector. 1 M. Malins 57 89 5 5 43 4 58 13 10 ... 2 G. Dewey 54 80 6 1 2 11 40 56 9 Malins and Deway 34 ... 57 3 4 27 3 34 10 10 ... ... 172 4 110 H. Green 3 10 19 76 2 124 10 26 H. Heath 99 5 67 2 10 53 2 79 2 39 6 89 142 ... G. Scudamore 15 24 ... 8 4 73 4 96 7 W. Eagle 26 44 4 5 15 2 34 4 3 J. Pointon 72 121 ... 8 14 14 5 39 82 11 14 ... W. Farmer 17 9 24 1 3 7 6 26 4 5 10 ... G. Morley 20 38 ... 1 2 17 ... 28 4 1 ... 10 11 E Collins 5 4 1 4 4 ... ... ... Camberwell House Lunatic Brompton Hospital. Westminster Hospital. Constance Road Workhouse and Infirmary. Asylum. Holborn Infirmary. Miller Hospital. Peckham House Lunatic Asylum. St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Manor Asylum. Gordon Road Workhouse. South-Eastern Fever Hospital. Leavesden Asylum. Cantherwell House Lunatic Asylum. Camberwell Infirmary. Friedenheim Hospital. Claybury Asylum. St. Thomas's Hospital. Royal Free Hospital. Peckham House Lunatic Asylum. Lambeth Infirmary. Throat Hospital, Golden Square. Charing Cross Hospital. Children's Hospital, Great Ormonde Street. Cancer Hospital. Darenth Asylum. Dartford Heath Asylum. Lewisham Workhouse. King's College Hospital. Tooting Bec Asylum. Newington Workhouse. Guy's Hospital. Battersea Infirmary. Long Grove Asylum. London Throat Hospital. Horton Asylum. Heart Hospital, Soho. City of London Lunatic Asylum. St. Joseph's Hospital, Mare Street. Banstead Asylum. Middlesex Hospital. Evelina Hospital. General Lying-in Hospital, York Rd. Bethnal House, Bethnal Green. St. Olave's Workhouse. Caterham Asylum. St. Mary's Hospital. Metropolitan Hospital. Marylebone Infirmary. Royal Hospital, Waterloo Road. St. George's Hospital. Chest Hospital, Victoria Park. Epileptic Colony, Espom. Belgrave Hospital. Gordon Hospital. Salvation Army Maternity Hospital. Bermondsey Infirmary. Bethnal Green Infirmary. Gore Farm Fever Hospital. London Hospital. Greenwich Workhouse. St. Luke's House Kensington. National Hospital, Queen Square. St. Giles's Workhouse. Royal Chest Hospital, City Road. Hanwell Asylum. St. Peter's House, Kennington. Park Fever Hospital. Greenwich Infirmary. Cane Hill Asylum. Children's Infirmary, Carshalton. South-Western Fever Hospital. Woolwich Infirmary. Appendix II. to Annual Report. Borough of Camberwell Distress Committee. (UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN ACT, 1905.) COUNCILLORS. Ephraim Ayers. Wm. O'Bolger. G. H. Ball. W. P. Rogers. Thos. F. Banner. John Shrimpton. Alex. Jardine. REV. H. G. Veazey. Rev. H. E. Jennings, M.A. Alfred E. Wenham. Wm. McCarthy. Frederick Whitehead. GUARDIANS. James Buckland, Esq., J.P. Rev. W. H. H. Elliott, M.A. (Vice-Chairman). (Chairman). Mrs. C. A. Bracey-Wright Mrs. E. C. Mawbey. (Countess de Lormet). Mrs. E. Morris. Henry Edmonds, Esq. Mrs. S. L. Phillips. Rev. T. W. Pitman. Persons Experienced in Relief of Distress. Adjutant W. Carroll, S.A. Rev. Canon W. Murnane. Mr. Wm. Jos. Gray. Miss E. de Burgho-Hodge. Mr. Tom E. Lloyd. Representatives on the Central (Unemployed) Body for London. Rev. W. H. H. Elliott, M.A. James Auckland, Esq., J.P. Office:- Next the Public Baths, Church Street. REPORT. July 1st, 1909, to June 30th, 1910. In accordance with instructions received from the Central (Unemployed) Body for London, the following are the replies to the schedule of information required, for the period from July 1st, 1909, to June 30th, 1910: — Rota Committees formed to do the work of .classification met at the Central Office every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. For the purpose of receiving applications from men, three District Offices were opened on September 20th, and one of the Enquiry Officers was in attendance each morning (except Saturday) from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Women were registered at the Central Office each day from 2to 4 p.m. Enquiries were then made of the Believing Officer, and the homes visited. Employers within the Borough were personally visited where possible, but some of them preferred to have the enquiries made through the post. Employers outside the Borough were written to, and a stamped, addressed envelope enclosed for their reply. The selection of those applicants who were recommended for work was carried out by the Rota Committee, whose recommendations were made in accordance with the instructions issued by the Central (Unemployed) Body. With regard to Emigration eases, care was taken to select men (and families) of good physique and with promise of making good colonists, the restrictions now imposed by the Colonial Government agents being more stringent than ever, especially to Canada, assisted emigration to that colony being almost an impossibility. Wages were paid on Saturdays at the Central Office, and Farm Colony allowances at the homes of the men by an Officer of the Committee. The Committee met on ten occasions at intervals from July Ist, 1909, to June 30th, 1910. The attendances at the General and Rota Committees were as follows:— General Committee. Rota Committee. Names. Possible. Actual. Actual. — Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. Alwin, W6. R. 3 1 8 1 Elected Sept. 29th, 1909. Ayers, Ephraim 1 — Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. 7 6 Ball, G. H. — Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. Banner, T. F. 7 1 3 8 Elected Sept. 29th, 1909. Bracey-Wright, Mrs. C.A. 8 43 10 8 Buckland, JameS — Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. Buncher, L.E. 3 - 7 3 32 Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. Carroll, Adjt. W. — Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. 3 - Conybeare, Rev. W. J. - de Burgho-Hodge, Miss E. — Elected June 8th, 1910. - Names. General Committee. Rota Committee. Possible. Actual. Actual. Edmonds, H. 10 4 31 Elliott, Rev. W. H. H. 10 5 38 Forrest, J. 3 1 1 Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. - Gray, W. J. 10 6 Gunning, James 7 3 11 Resigned Mar. 15th, 1910. Jardine, Alex. 7 4 - Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. Jennings, Rev. H. E. 10 4 - Lloyd, Tom E. 2 7 18 Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. MacCarthy, W. 10 - - Mawbey, Mrs. E.C. 1 1 — Elected May 11th, 1910. Morris, Mrs. E. 10 9 - Murnane, Canon W. (Rev.) 10 1 1 O'Bolger, Wm. 7 2 Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. 5 Pexton, F. T 8 8 3 Retired April 15th, 1910. 7 Phillips, Mrs. S. L. 10 9 Pitman, Rev. T. W. 1 — Elected May 11th, 1910. - Rayment, T. R. 3 4 Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. 3 4 Rogers, W. P. 1 — Elected Dec. 22nd, 1909. Sayer, S. 1 — Elected Sept. 29th, 1909. - Retired Nov. 9th, 1909. Shrimpton, John 10 7 23 Terrace, Ensign P. 3 2 10 Resigned Nov. 9th, 1909. veazey, Rev. H. G. 10 1 - Wenham, A. E. 7 2 — Elected Nov. 9th, 1909. Whitehead, F. 10 9 10 Wilson, Rev. R. H. 8 4 7 Retired April 15th, 1910. Applications were received from the following: Men (skilled). Men (unskilled). Women. Total. 1,442 1,983 215 3,640 The greatest number were received during the months of September and October, but a marked difference was found in the class of applicants, those applying as soon as the register was open being more or less of the usual class of casual workers whereas later on a large number of artisans and the better class of labourers were attracted. Ages of Applicants. I 15-19. 20-24. 25-34. 35-44. 45-54. 55-64. 65-74. Total. Men 63 325 975 955 696 328 83 3,425 Women 2 2 24 57 75 49 6 215 Occupations of Applicants Registered. Men. Wood-workers—conted. French Polishers 7 Wood Machinists and Turners 19 Picture Frame Makers — Parking Case Makers 13 Sawyer 10 Wheelwrights 6 Carriage Painters 12 Other Undefined Artizans 2 Labourers 25 Sundry Manufactures. Leather Dressers 19 Leather Cutters 2 Trunk and Bag Makers - Harness Makers 7 Glass Bevellers — Glass Cutters — Other Glass Workers 2 Brush Makers 1 Piano Makers - Other Undefined Workers 29 Food and Drink. 60 Bakers and Confectioners 20 Milk Carriers 15 Fishmongers' Assistants 6 Butchers, Greengrocers, &c. 11 Potmen, Cellarmen, &c. 28 Grocers 7 Mineral Water Workers 20 Dealers and Clerks. 107 Shop Assistants 39 Clerks 21 Costermongers, Hawkers and Street Sellers 40 100 Locomotion, Transport and other Labour. Engine Drivers 10 Stokers 35 Omnibus Drivers & Conductors 10 Carmen 319 Horse-keepres and Stablemen 76 Seamen 6 Stevedores - Porters 89 Packers and Warehousemen 67 Gardeners 30 Dock and Waterside Labourers 58 General Labourers 446 Factory Labourers - Other Undefined Workers 20 1,166 Building Trades. Bricklayers 102 Masons 42 Plasterers 59 Carpenters 81 Painters 403 Plumbers 29 Scaffolders 23 Excavators and Navvies 159 Other Undefined Aitizans 16 Labourers: — 914 Bricklayers' and Builders' 472 Other Undefined Labourers 152 624 Engineering and Machine Making and Metals. Blacksmiths 15 Hammermen 7 Erectors, Fitters and Turners 39 Drillers 7 Boiler Makers — Brass Finishers 8 Undefined Engine and Machine Makers 14 Shipwrights — Tinsmiths and Tinplate Workers 10 Miscellaneous Metal Workers 6 Electrical Fitters 3 Electrical Wiremen 7 Other Undefined Artizans 1 Labourers 63 Printing. 180 Bookbinders 3 Compositors 11 Machine Minders 5 Machine Operatives 1 Litho Printers 8 Other Undefined Artizans 2 Labourers 30 Dress. 60 Boot and Shoe Operatives 15 Tailors' Cutters 1 Tailors 3 Hat and Cap Makers 4 Other Workers in Dress 25 48 Wood-workers. Cabinet Makers 2 Upholsterers 1 Chair Makers - Civil and Municipal. Sanitary Service 2 Scavengers - Paviours 14 Others 4 20 Service. Domestic Coachmen & Grooms 3 Cooks 10 Liftmen 16 Night Watchmen 12 Window Cleaners 3 Others 5 49 Women. Dressmaking, Tailoring, &c. Dressmaking 3 Mantlework 2 Machinists 9 Needlework (unclassified) 63 Domestic or General Servants 24 Housekeepers 3 Charing, Office Cleaning, &c. 64 Waitresses 1 Cooks (various) 19 Nurses (various) 7 Boot and Shoe Trade - Laundry Hands 16 Factory Hands 1 Clerks - Unclassified 3 No Occupations - 215 Summary. Previous Years. 1909-10. 1905-6. 1906-7. 1907-8. 1908-9. Building Trade Artizans Do. Labourers 914 624 372 44 0 1,047 799 206 248 556 Engineering and Machine Making and Metals 180 62 64 100 206 Printing 60 17 22 28 61 Dress 48 30 18 15 63 Wood Workers 97 30 35 80 123 Sundry Manufactures 60 24 55 31 83 Food and Drink 107 77 37 44 115 Dealers and Clerks 100 23 7 22 78 Locomotion, Transport and other Labour 1,166 973 920 953 1,437 Civil and Municipal 20 2 4 14 - Service 49 5 27 32 29 3,425 2,040 1,765 1,997 3,812 Women 215 45 191 260 226 3,640 2,085 1,956 2,257 4,038 Total Conditions as to Marriage. Men Married. Single. Widowers. Widows. Total. 2,734 561 130 - 3 ,425 Women 38 14 - 163 215 575 130 2,772 163 3,640 Size of Family. Number of children living at home 8,559 av. 2.8 „ „ „ under 14 living at home 6,580 „ 2.15 Families with no children under 14 living at home 766 or 25.00 % „ „ 1 „ „ „ „ 564 „ 18.0 „ „ „ 2 „ „ „ „ 510 „ 16.64 „ „ „ 3 „ „ „ „ 485 „ 15.82 „ „ „ 4 „ „ „ „ 361 „ 11.78 „ „ „ 5 „ „ „ „ 217 „ 7.08 „ „ 6 or more children under 14 living at home 162 „ 5.28 „ Number of Rooms Occupied and Number of Occupants. 1,372 Tenements of 1 room were occupied by 2,927 persons. 938 „ 2 „ „ 4,141 „ 752 „ 3 „ „ 4,054 „ 390 „ 4 „ „ 2,354 „ 155 „ over 4 „ „ 1,150 „ 3,607 14,626 „ Rents Paid. Under 2s. 6d 88 2s. 6d. and under 4s. 1,201 4s. „ 7s. 1,647 7s. „ 10s. 575 10s. „ 13s. 81 13s. and over 15 3,607 (No information in 33 cases.) Men. Women. Total. Number of applications investigated 3,360 210 3,570 Number of applications partly investigated 65 5 70 3,425 215 3,640 In the work of classification the cases were marked as under:- Preferred eases 141 Eligible „ 1,882 Ineligible „ 1,541 Disqualified on technical grounds 6 3,570 in accordance with the regulations of the Local Government Board, the general instructions issued by the Central (Unemployed) Body on September 18th. 1909, and the Local Government Board order of November 17th, 1908. Cases marked as Ineligible were those which, upon enquiry, were found To be at work. To have insufficient residential qualification. To have moved away after registering. To be those where employers' references could not be obtained. To be those of bad character. From July 1st, 1909, to June 30th, 1910, work was found for the following:— Men. Women. *By Central Body 479 aver. 9 wks. each. 61 aver. 13 wks. each. „ Borough Council — Painting, &c. 63 „ 4 „ „ — Wood Paving 83 „ 5 „ „ - - Tree Lopping 73 „ 5 „ „ Sandwich Boards 65 „ 1 „ „ - „ Other Agencies through ( Distress Committee 4 permanent. - 3 aver. days. 5 temporary. 766 70 * Including 7 men and 16 women already at work July 1st, 1909. Number who refused work offered: — Obtained Work since Registration. Untraceable through Change of Address, Refused Work. Other Reasons. Total. Men. Women. Men. Women. Men. Women. Men. Women. Men. Women. On Colony Work. 19 9 67 30 9 - - - - - On Non-Colony Work. 70 6 5 3 3 2 33 1 111 12 100 6 14 3 22 2 42 1 178 12 Total EMIGRATION. Number of cases registered 378 Investigated and sent to Central Body 98 Investigated but since withdrawn or disqualified:— Could not find security 88 Wife refused to emigrate 10 Found work 73 Moved away 51 Not recommended by Committee 31 — 253 Partly investigated 27 378 Number of cases forwarded to Central Body as above 98 Cases emigrated by Central Body 24 „ refused by Central Body 12 ,, rejected by Canadian Government 1 „ not yet dealt with by Central Body 58 ,, emigrated through other agencies 3 98 Emigrated to Canada 7 cases = 30 persons. „ „ Australia 18 „ = 32 „ „ „ New Zealand 2 „ = 2 „ Total 27 cases = 64 persons. (Including 17 single men.) Of the above: —2 married men had been employed on Colony work, ,, ,, 1 „ man „ „ non-Colony work, „ „ 2 single men had been sent to the Colony for a period of training. MIGRATION. Father and 2 children were sent to Bournemouth to join mother who had obtained work, and gone there previously. Man had been employed on Colony work. Of the 3,425 men and 215 women registered in 1909-10: — 963 „ 37 „ had applied once before. 439 „ 10 „ „ twice „ 291 „ 2 „ „ three times before. 157 „ 2 „ „ four „ Of the 766 men and 70 women given work in 1909-10:— 145 men and 1 woman were given work once previously (Central Body). 40 „ — „ „ „ „ (Borough Council). 51 „ 1 „ „ twice „ (Of these, 18 men had Borough Council Work once.) 19 men were given work three times previously. (Of these 12 men had Borough Council Work once.) 2 men were given work four times previously. (Of these 2 men had Borough Council work once.) Number of applicants who had received Poor Law Relief during the 12 months preceding the date of application: — Men 654 Women 65 719 Of the above work was given to Men 209 Women 24 233 WOMEN'S WORK. Number of women registered 215 „ „ sent to workroom 45 The Women's Workroom at the Young People's Hall, George Street, now called the South London Workroom, is still being continued, and has proved a great boon to the widows whom the Committee have been able to send there. The Central Body have experienced some difficulty in disposing of the garments made by these women, and, in consequence, sales of work have been held in various parts and good sums realized. The result not only proves the usefulness of these sales as a means of disposing of the garments made by these women, but also brings before the notice of the public this branch of the Committee's work. The room is under the immediate control of a Local Advisory Committee who interest themselves in finding openings for the women on leaving at the end of the 16 weeks, by placing them in touch with various organisations, and foremost amongst these, the Association of Trained Charwomen has been of very great assistance. It is difficult to say that the work provided has made any permanent improvement in the position of the applicants, but it certainly has assisted them temporarily and kept things in perhaps a normal condition during a time when work is always slack, keeping them out of debt and the rent paid. Colony work is certainly more advantageous to the men, owing to the discipline and regular living, and to the families in consequence of the regular allowance which is paid to them every week. The disadvantage is in the want of some further provision to follow the sixteen weeks' training. Non-colony work is more attractive, as it does not take the men away from home. They receive their own wages, and the better class of them are able to keep in touch with their old employers. The great difficulty with which the Committee have again to contend is the small amount of work provided as compared with the large number of men recommended, and the non-provision of suitable employment for those who are physically weak and unable to do the heavy laborious work out of doors, after perhaps spending all their life in shops or factories. Visiting the homes of men on Colony work has many advantages. The Committee keep in touch with the family, and the visitor is frequently able to give advice and suggest remedies for all sorts of troubles. In respect to voluntary assistance, this has only been available in one part of the Borough, and the best thanks of this Committee are due to the ladies and gentlemen of Talbot House and Cambridge House Settlements, for their valuable help, without which it would have been quite impossible to deal with the cases in anything like an expeditious manner, and would have been necessary to obtain the services of at least one additional officer. As regards investigation, it was found necessary to inquire into all the cases in order to have a sufficient number of preferred cases ready in view of the supply of work, and much valuable information was thereby gained. 3,570 cases were dealt with by Rota Committee, and 916 of these were copied out and referred to the Central Body, who have found occasion to appreciate the promptness with which the Committee, materially assisted by the system of Reserve Lists, have been able to fill vacancies offered. The proposal to deal with the children as they leave school will, if adopted, undoubtedly tend to decrease the number of men and women with no trade in their hands and practically no aim in life, and, as time goes on, should very materially reduce the number of those that are almost, if not quite, unemployable. Banquet to Little Londoners —At the invitation of Sir Wm. Treloar, 41 children of men and women registered as unemployed were entertained at the Guildhall on January 3rd, and accompanied by the Worshipful the Mayor (Alderman John Somerville) and the Mayoress. The Committee are again indebted to the Borough Council for their kindly provision of work, both direct and with the co-operation of the Central Body. It was much appreciated, and greatly helped to relieve the distress in the Borough during the winter months. They also feel that they are deeply indebted and desire to place on record their best thanks to the Rev. W. H. H. Elliott, the Rev. F. James and his Deacons, and to the Salvation Army for the use of their halls for the purpose of receiving applications, and to all the other ladies and gentlemen who have assisted in the work generally: also to Dr. W. Ellis Morgan, of 56. Peckham Road, who has very kindly examined, free of charge, all men proceeding to the Farm Colony and other works. Appended is a copy of observations addressed to the Local Government Board in reply to their circular letter of April 1st, 1910. To the Local Government Board, April 15th, 1910. Question: —The conditions of industry and employment within the area of the Distress Committee during the year ending March 31st, 1910. Answer: —The conditions of industry in this Borough appear to have improved somewhat, except in the two principal occupations, as out of 3,406 men registered as unemployed, 1,532 were described as belonging to the building trade. The mineral water trade also, which is a large factor in this Borough, again had a bad season, and this affected both men and women. The distress was quite as keenly felt, but was perhaps not so apparent as in the winter of 1908-9, when the weather was so much more severe. It is interesting to note that of the 3,406 men and 184 women registering in 10,1909- 963 „ 34 „ registered once previously, 439 „ 8 „ „ twice „ 291 „ 2 „ „ three times„ 157 „ 1 „ „ four „ „ since the Act came into force. It is also satisfactory to find, however, that from a recent canvass of a number of cases a large percentage of the men have now got back to their usual work. Question :—Generally, as to the operation of the Act during the year within the area of the Distress Committee. Answer: —The Act has again been beneficial, enabling a large number of families to keep going who would otherwise have had recourse to the Poor Law Authorities, and perhaps then have to seek the shelter of the Workhouse. This alone should induce H.M. Government to continue the Act until such time as the question of unemployment is permanently dealt with. It is now impossible to realize the condition of things that would be created in London if no organised system of registration of this class of labour existed The inadequacy of the amount of work provided has again been the drawback, notwithstanding the fact that the Council of this Borough provided work for 291 men, in addition to that obtained through the agency of the Central Body, and my Committee are of opinion that some inducement should be held out to the Borough Councils to put up schemes of work. The necessity for the provision of work of a useful nature during the slack time of the year is shown in the willingness of the men to accept almost any conditions and rates of pay sooner than be walking about idle. London Work in Parks, &c. The provision of this, inadequate though it has been, is more attractive to the men as they do not have to leave their homes, and the casual workers in the building and mineral water trades are able to keep in touch with their employers, and when there is work about they soon get to hear of it and are able to leave the work which has been provided for them. This is shown by the large number that have left and are reported as " Found Work," viz., about 10 per cent, of these put to work. Farm Colony Work. This is attractive to a better class of men, although the pay is small. They appreciate the discipline, regular food, and general surroundings of a country life. The drawback is the want of something to follow the sixteen weeks' training. A number of men would only be too glad of the chance to settle in the country, and until a greater effort is made in this direction, all the good that accrues, morally and physically, will be wasted. The sixteen weeks allowed is, at the same time, quite insufficient to train a man for country work. At least two years would be required to fit a man to become an efficient farm labourer. Emigration. Opinions differ very considerably on this point, and there is no doubt but that the best men are well able to hold their own in this country. If they wish to emigrate they do so at their own expense. The class that require assistance are those that have got left behind in the struggle for existence, but feel that with a fresh start and under different conditions, they may yet come out on top or somewhere near. As regards single men, with no trade in their hands, this is undoubtedly the best thing for them. Women's Work. This is a boon to widows who have been left with young children, and would be more so, if openings could only be found for them after their sixteen weeks' training. To come in closer touch with the Labour Exchange would perhaps be an advantage. In conclusion the Camberwell Distress Committee desire most strongly to urge upon His Majesty's Government the great and urgent importance of continuing in force some legal enactment, requiring registration, that will prevent the renewal of the periods of disorder which existed prior to the passing of the Unemployed Workmen Act. Though the Central (Unemployed) Body may not have felt satisfied with the amount of work they have been able to provide, it is more by reason of the financial restrictions imposed, requiring such a large proportion of the cost to be contributed by the Local Authorities providing the work, than the number of deserving cases that require help: these always having been largely in excess of those assisted. W. H. H. ELLIOTT, Chairman. JAMES BUCKLAND, Vice-Chairman. C. WILLIAM TAGG, Town Clerk. GEORGE SISMAN, Clerk to the Committee. II—13 DISTRESS COMMITTEE. Returns mass to the Local Government Board. Comparative Statement for Tears ending March 31st, 1908. 1909 and 1910. 1908. 1909. 1910. M. W. M. W M. W. 1,985 3,814 3,406 Number of persons from whom applications were received 184 238 231 Number of applications entertained 926 1,824 126 1,687 133 149 Number of applications rejected 928 1,915 1,109 47 Number of applications not investigated 110 180 - 610 4 - 5 7 - Age under 20 8 - - „ 20 and under 30 191 9 363 8 323 8 „ 30 „ 40 261 23 514 32 565 30 „ 40 „ 50 241 49 510 45 460 49 „ 50 „ 60 177 50 318 33 250 38 „ 60 and upwards 51 18 111 8 82 8 926 149 1,824 126 1,687 133 Occupations:— General or Casual Labour 411 378 - 396 - - Building Trades 351 852 - 779 - - Engineering, Ship-building and Metal Trades 61 121 97 - - - Tailoring and Clothing 3 10 64 3 5 8 Boot and Shoe Trades 16 - 25 8 - - Furnishing and Woodworking 27 1 45 1 33 - Food, Drink and Tobacco 31 47 1 42 - - Printing, Bookbinding and Paper 15 26 - 19 - - Textile - 3 - - - Domestic Service 2 71 7 45 11 85 Transport and Conveyance of Men, Goods and Messages - 265 200 - - - Other Occupations 9 69 48 15 96 43 926 149 1,824 126 1,687 133 Number of Applicants to whom work was offered 768 1,057 991 Number of Applicants who refused work offered 150 35 234 Number for whom work was found by Central Body:— I 66 At Farm Colony and Workroom 78 28 93 42 46 „ L.C.C. Parks 142 - 349 - 189 - „ Royal „ 40 - 11 102 - - „ Alexandra Palace 80 - 64 8 - - „ Camberwell B.C. Schemes 72 - - - 120 - „ Wandsworth „ „ - - - 15 - - Number for whom work was provided and paid for by Borough Council 292 - - 236 291 - Number for whom work was found by other Agencies - - - 9 12 4 Statement of Receipts and Expenditure, From July 1st, 1909, to June 30th, 1910. £ s. d. T>-- HT . .. . , n i To Balance at Bank and in hand £ d. 72 3 10½ s. By Wages paid to men at Parks, &c. 2,063 12 4 „ Cash received from Central (Unemployed) Body for London „ Wages paid to men Tree Planting, &c. 862 17 0 11 3,416 7 „ Allowances to families of men at Labour Colonies 611 10 6 „ Cash received from Borough Council 862 17 0 „ Men's Fares 70 11 10 „ Deducted for clothing supplied to men at Labour Colonies „ Salaries of Clerk and Enquiry Officers 582 18 6 10 26 0 „ Stationery, Printing, &c 10 6 10 „ Postages and Sundry Expenses 56 17 11 „ Rent, Coals, and Gas 42 1 2 „ Travelling Expenses 5 9 6½ „ Clothing supplied to Emigrants and Pledges Redeemed 7 3 6 „ Medical Fees, Examining Emigrants 9 12 6 „ Accident Pay 12 1 6 „ Women's Work 0 7 1 13 3½ 4,331 „ Balance at Bank and in hand 46 5 6 £4,377 18 9½ 18 9½ £4,377 Direct Payments, &c. £ d. s. Allowances to women paid by Central Body at the Workrooms 427 8 6 Wages to men at Royal Parks paid by H.M. Office of Works 518 17 0 Wages to men Tree Lopping, Wood Paving, &c., paid by Borough Council 1,748 2 1 £2,694 7 7 These accounts are passed by the Central (Unemployed) Body, and audited as a part of their accounts by the Official Audito of the Local Government Board.