AC 4412 (3) CRA 29 URBAN DISTRICT OF CRAYFORD ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH For the Year 1964 JOHN LANDON, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H., Medical Officer of Health ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH To the Chairman and Councillors of the Urban District of Crayford MR CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I have the honour to present the Annual Report for 1964. Owing to the coming into operation of the London Government Act, 1963 and the creation of the London Borough of Bexley on April 1st, 1965, the usual form of presentation has had to be modified, the contents being largely statistical and intended to preserve continuity with previous reports. My thanks are due to the Members of the Authority and Staff of the Department for their unfailing help and encouragement over the years. I am, Your obedient servant, JOHN LANDON, Medical Officer of Health. SECTION A.-STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OP THE AREA AREA (in acres) 2,698.71 POPULATION (Registrar-General's estimate mid-year 1964) 33,600 Number of separate dwellings 10,648 Rateable value £1,520,044 Sum represented by a penny rate £5,600 SUMMARY OP VITAL STATISTICS England and Wales Crayford U.D.C. Rates per 1,000 Home Population BIRTHS:- Live 18.4 21.04 Still 0.31 0.39 16.4 (a) 18.05 (a) DEATHS:- All Causes 11.3 18.01 Typhoid and Paratyphoid 0.00 — Whooping Cough 0.00 — Diphtheria - — Tuberculosis 0.05 — Influenza 0.02 — Smallpox — — Acute Poliomyelitis (including Polio-encephalitis) 0.00 — Pneumonia 0.63 0.42 NOTIFICATIONS (corrected) Typhoid Fever 0.00 — Paratyphoid Fever 0.00 — Meningococcal Infection 0.01 — Scarlet Fever 0.42 0.51 Whooping Cough 0.67 0.27 Diphtheria 0.00 — Erysipelas 0.04 — Smallpox — — Measles 6.47 4.67 Pneumonia 0.19 — Acute Poliomyelitis (including Polioencephalitis) Paralytic 0.00 0.00 Non-Paralytic 0.00 — Food Poisoning 0.11 0.00 Puerperal Pyrexia 6.67 (a) 30.55 (a) Rates per 1,000 Live Births DEATHS:- All causes under one year of age Enteritis and Diarrhoae under two years of age 20.0 16.97 0.01 — (a) Per 1,000 Total (Live and Still) Births A dash ( - ) signifies that there were no deaths or notifications MATERNAL MORTALITY England and Wales Crayford U.D.C. Rates per 1,000 Total Live and Still Births Maternal causes, excluding abortion 0.20 2.78 Due to abortion 0.06 — Total maternal mortality 0.25 2.78 EXTRACTS PROM VITAL STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1964 LIVE BIRTHS Total Male Female Legitimate 688 359 329 Illegitimate 19 7 12 707 566 341 Birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated home population 21.04 Illegitimate live births per cent of total live births 2.69 General birth rate for England and Wales 18.4 STILLBIRTHS Total Male Female Legitimate 13 8 4 Illegitimate — — 1 13 8 5 Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births 18.05 Total Male Female DEATHS 269 146 123 Death rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population 8.00 General death rate for England and Wales 11.3 The Registrar General has supplied comparability factors for 1964. The standardised Birth Rate which allows for comparison with other parts of the country is 15.78 and the standardised Death Rate is 11.34 MATERNAL DEATHS There were two maternal deaths in 1964. DEATHS OF INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE. Total Male Female Legitimate 12 8 4 Illegitimate — — — 12 8 4 Rate per 1,000 live births (Crayford) 16.97 Rate per 1,000 legitimate live births 17.44 Neo Natal mortality rate per 1,000 live births 14.14 Early Neo-Natal mortality rate per 1,000 live births 12.73 Perinatal mortality rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births 30.55 General death rate of infants under 1 year of age for England and Wale 19.95 DEATHS FROM VARIOUS CAUSES Malignant Neoplasm (all ages) 63 Measles (all ages) — Whooping Cough (all ages) — Diarrhoea (under 2 years of age) — DEATHS REGISTERED (IN AGE GROUPS) IN 1964 CAUSE OF DEATH Under 4 weeks 4 weeks & under 1 year AGE IN YEARS Total All Ages 1- 5- 15- 25- 35- 45- 55- 65- 75 & over M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F 1. Tuberculosis, respiratory — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2. Tuberculosis, other — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 3. Syphilitic disease — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 4. Diphtheria — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 5. Whooping cough — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 6. Meningococcal infections — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 7. Acute poliomyelitis — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 8. Measles — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 9. Other infective and parasitic diseases — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 10. Malignant neoplasm, stomach — — -— — — — — — — — -— — — -— — — — — 3 — — 4 3 4 11. Malignant neoplasm, lung, bronchus — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 — 5 2 3 1 — 1 10 4 12. Malignant neoplasm, breast — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 3 — 2 — 1 — 2 — 8 13. Malignant neoplasm, uterus — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 — 1 — — — 3 14. Other malignant and lymphatic neoplasms — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 — 3 2 3 3 4 5 6 3 17 14 15. Leukaemia, aleukaemia — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 16. Diabetes — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 — 1 1 17. Vascular, lesions of nervous system — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — 2 2 2 3 7 7 12 12 18. Coronary disease, angina — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 5 — 17 1 13 7 9 12 45 20 19. Hypertension with heart disease — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — 1 — — 1 4 2 5 20. Other heart disease — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 2 4 7 5 4 6 14 15 21. Ohter circulatory disease — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 3 3 2 2 5 7 22. Influenza — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 23. Pneumonia 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 2 — 3 6 7 7 24. Bronchitis — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 — 4 2 — 1 6 3 25. Other diseases of the respiratory system — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 1 2 1 26. Ulcer of stomach and duodenum — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 — 1 l 27. Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 1 — 28. Nephritis and nephrosis — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 29. Hyperplasia of prostrate — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 30. Pregnancy, childbirth, abortion — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 — — — — — — — — — 2 31. Congenital malformations 2 1 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — — 3 2 32. Other defined and ill-defined diseases 3 3 1 — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 2 2 — 1 — 1 3 2 9 11 33. Motor vehicle accidents — — — — — — — — 1 — 2 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 — 5 — 34. All other accidents — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — 1 35. Suicide — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 1 — — 2 1 36. Homicide and operations of war — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — TOTAL ALL CAUSES 6 4 2 — — 1 — 1 1 — 4 2 2 2 15 8 32 22 45 32 39 51 146 123 IMMUNISATION The following table shows the diptheria immunisation and whooping cough immunisation figures for 1963 based on the returns submitted to the Ministry of Health. Year of Birth. Diptheria Immunisation (Singly or in combination) Whooping Cough Immunisation (Singly or in combination) Primary Reinforcing Primary 1964 337 — 235 1963 266 13 261 1962 19 271 21 1961 10 79 10 1960 1 40 1 1955-1959 7 193 5 1950-1954 — 1 — TOTAL 640 597 533 POLIOMYELITIS VACCINATION The following are the poliomyelitis vaccination figures for 1964 based on the return submitted to the Ministry of Health. Year of Birth 3rd and 4th Dose (Salic and Oral). 3 Orals (Complete course) 1964 1 92 1963 8 373 1962 — 36 1961 — 18 1949-1960 410 10 1933-1948 1 10 Others — 4 SMALLPOX VACCINATION The following table shows the smallpox vaccination figures for 1964 based on the return submitted to the Ministry of Health. Primary Vaccination 1 Year Re-Vaccination. School age but under 8 years. 308 — TUBERCULOSIS Age Periods New Cases Deaths Respiratory Non-Respiratory. Respirator Non-Respiratory M F M F M F M F Under 5 years — — — — — — — — 5-14 — — — — — — — — 15-24 — — — — — — — — 25 - 44 1 1 — — — — — — 45-64 1 1 — — — — — — 65 and over — 1 — — — — — — TOTAL 2 3 — — — — — — The following table gives the particulars concerning the cases of Infectious Diseases (other than Tuberculosis) notified in the area during the year NOTIFIABLE DISEASES (Other than Tuberculosis) DURING THE YEAR 1964 Total Cases Notified Under 1 1 2 3 4 5 to 9 10 to 14 15 to 24 25 and over Scarlet Fever 17 1 1 — — 2 12 — 1 — Puerperal Pyrexia 22 — — — — — — — 15 7 Acute Polio-Paralytic 1 1 — — — — — — — — Food Poisoning 1 — — — — 1 — — — — Measles 157 3 16 28 25 20 62 3 — — Whooping Cough 9 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 — — TOTALS 207 7 18 30 26 24 75 4 16 7 FOOD INSPECTION The following is a summary of unsound food surrendered and destroyed: Corned Beef lbs 120¼ Cooked Ham „ 21 Beef „ 33 Pork „ 152½ Veal „ 12 Offal „ 82¼ Fish „ 84 Preserves „ 5 Fruit and Fruit juices „ 33¼ Vegetables „ 11 Flour „ 3 Sugar „ 4 Cereals 10¾ Meat Tins 96½ Ham „ 16¼ Vegetables „ 481¼ Fruit „ 1008 Fish „ 59½ Frozen Foods Pckts 1364 Miscellaneous Items 28 POOD AMD DRUGS ACT. 1955 Details of samples taken by the County Sampling Officers within the CRAYFORD URBAN DISTRICT during the year ended 31st December, 1964. Article No. Article No. Antacid Powder 1 B/fd. 39 Assorted Drop Sweets 1 Jam 2 Bacon 1 Jelly 1 Beef Dripping 1 Kilkof 1 Boned Chicken in Jelly 1 Lemon Pie Filling 1 Boric Lint B.P.C. 1 Liquid Paraffin B.P. 1 Bread 2 Lystone Salts 1 Butter 2 Marmalade 3 Buttermints 1 Milk 24 Celery Soup 1 Milk Top 1 Cheese Spread 2 Mincemeat 1 Cherryade 1 Oranges 1 Choc-bar 1 Orange Drink 1 Choc-Fruitie Biscuits 1 Orange Squash 1 Chocolate Diabetic 1 Peach Slices in Syrup 1 Chop Sauce 1 Persomnia 1 Cider 1 Pork Sausages 5 Cream (double) 2 Raspberries in Syrup 1 Custard Powder 1 Rum l Drinking Chocolate 2 Salad Cream 1 Epomol 1 Sausage Rolls 2 Farlene Baby Pood 1 Self Raising Flour 1 Fish Paste 2 Short Cake 1 Flour (bakers') 1 Soft Ice cream 1 Gin 3 Stewed Steak 1 Ginger Beer Shandy 1 Syrup of Pigs 1 Glycerine Lemon and Ipecac l Tomatoes (canned) 1 Greek Sultanas 1 Toothache Tincture 1 Ground Almonds l Unsweetened Evaporated Milk 1 Hermesetas 1 White Petroleum Jelly 1 Instant Coffee 1 Zinc and Castor Oil Cream 1 c/fd. 39 Total 100 Summary Milks 24 Drugs 12 Spirits 4 Other Samples 60 100 CLEAN-AIR ACT, 1956 The second-Smoke-Control Area came into force on 1st October, 1964. The pilot survey and initial enquiries having been already carried out, Smoke Control Area No. 3 was submitted for approval to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The proposed date of operation was recommended to be 1st July 1968. This area, which contains 6,332 properties including 1,252 Council owned premises and 4,755 privately owned premises, will bring the whole of the Urban District under Smoke Control. HOUSING STATISTICS (l) Inspection of Dwellinghouses (l) Total number of dwellinghouses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 766 Number of inspections made for that purpose 1,565 (2) Number of dwellinghouses (included under sub-heading (l) above) which were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations — Number of inspections made for that purpose — (3) Number of dwellinghouses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation 5 (4) Number of dwellinghouses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-heading) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 222 (2) Remedy of defects during the year without service of formal notice Number of defective dwellinghouses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by Local Authority or their Officers 56 (3) Action under statutorv Dowers during the year Statutory notices under Housing or Public Health Acts Number of houses in which defects were remedied after serving of formal notices- — (a) by owners — (b) by local authority in default of owners — Proceedings under Housing Act, 1957- (a) Demolition orders made under Section 17 4 (b) Houses demolished as a result of formal or informal procedure under Section 17(l) 16 (c) Unfit houses closed under Sections 16(4) and 35(l) 1 (two flats) (4) Housing Act, 1957-Overcrowding Whilst it is known from the particulars supplied by housing applicants that overcrowding does exist, it is impossible to state the extent of such overcrowding Total number of houses owned by local authority 3,361 Number of houses built during the year- (a) by the local authority — (b) by other bodies or persons 87 SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OP THE AREA Water The Metropolitan Water Board is the supplying authority. The water supply to the Crayford Urban District is derived from the Crayford, Darenth and Wansunt wells. The water has been satisfactory in quality and quantity throughout the year. The wells supplies are examined bacteriologically at least five times a week before and after treatment which consists of chlorination and dechlorination. The waters are not liable to have plumbo solvent action and there has been no evidence of contamination of Crayford or other wells during the year. Water Sampling The following samples were sent to the County Laboratory by the Council's Public Health Inspector- (a) Wells (drinking water), Bacteriological 9 (b) Swimming Pool, Bacteriological 8 (c) Domestic Supplies, Bacteriological 8 All samples forwarded have been reported satisfactory. Water Supply Normal mains extension to serve new development was carried out. REPORT OP KENT RIVER BOARD River Cray The usual programme of brushing has been carried out. Approximately 50 tons of rubbish has been removed from the Cray in the Crayford area. Silt has been removed from mile of the river by mechanical excavator between Hallplace Gardens and David Evans factory. River Stanham, Middle River and Wansunt The normal brushing and weed clearance has been carried out on all these rivers. The River Stanham was badly polluted by oil earlier in the year and additional brushing and burning of vegetation was necessary to remove this contamination. Crayford Marshes The usual clearance of weeds and rubbish has been carried out on the Main Marsh dykes and Commissioners Dykes. In addition the remains of one car was removed from the ditch alongside Wallhouse Road. Sea Walla A small area of damage to the ragstone revetment has been made good. Approximately 3,000 brushwood faggots were laid along the Crayford side of the Creek wall as protection against scour. The backslopes of the walls were sprayed and mowed, as usual. Vandals caused damage to fences and gates on several occasions during the year. Control of Rodents and other rests 160 complaints in respect of rat and mice infestations were received and full investigated. During the months of April and October the foul water sewers were treated with Warfarin for the destruction of rats and where a manhole was found to be infested, treatment was continued until their extinction. I enjoyed the co-operation and assistance of the Engineer and Surveyor who, once again, placed additional labour, lifting mechanisms plus motor transport readily available. Sewer infestations were again remarkably low, despite development of land and the consequent increase in new lengths of sewers. Shops Act A total number of 123 visits were made during the year. This figure includes Sunday and evening visits Jo serious breach of the Act was noted. Prescribed Particulars on the Administration of the Factories Act, 1961. 1. Inspections for purposes of provisions as to Health (including inspections made by Public Health Inspectors) Premises (1) Number on Register (2) Number of Inspections (3) Written Notices (4) Occupiers Prosecuted (5) (i) Factories in which Sections 1, 2,3,4 and. 6 are to be enforced by Local Authorities 12 12 — — (ii) Factories not included in (i) in which Section 7 is enforced by the Local Authority 79 72 5 — (iii)Other Premises in which Section 7 is enforced by Local Authority (excluding outworkers premises) 18 18 1 — Total 109 . 102 6 — 2. Cases in which defects were found. Particulars Number of Cases in which defects were found Number of Cases in which prosecutions were instituted. Found Remedied Referred to H.M. Inspector Referred by H.M. Inspector (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Want of cleanliness (S.l) — — — — — Overcrowding (S.2) — — — — — Unreasonable temperature (S.3) — — — — — Inadequate ventilation (S.4) — — — — — Ineffective drainage of floors (S.6) — — — — — Sanitary Conveniences (S.7) — — — — — (a) Insufficient — — — — — (b) Unsuitable or defective 5 4 — — — (c) Not separate for sexes — — — — — Other offences (not including offences relating to outwork l 1 — — — Total 6 5 — — — OUTWORK Part VIII of the Act. Nature of work Section 133 Section 134 | No. of out-workers in August list required by Section 133(l)(c) No. of cases of default in sending lists to the Council No. of prosections for failure to supply lists No. of instances of work in unwnolesome premises Notices served Prosecutions Wearing apparel making, etc. 8 — — — — — The making of boxes or other receptacles or parts thereof made wholly or partially of paper 1 — — — — —