DEPT 28 METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF DEPTFORD REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1943 Public Health Department, Central Clinic, Amersham Road, S. E. 14. November, 1944. To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford. Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, The following abridged Report indicates that the health standards were reasonably satisfactorily maintained in the fifth year of the war. GENERAL DATA Area of Borough 1,564 acres Deptford Comparative figures for London. Birth rate (per 1,000 living) 20·1 15·8 Still births (per 1,000 total births) 16 - Death rate (per 1,000 living) 16 .4 15·0 Infantile Mortality rate (deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live births) 33 58 Live births registered (Legitimate 1,082 (Illegitimate 59 Total 1,141 Still births registered (Legitimate 17 (Illegitimate 2 Total 19 Infant deaths (under 1 year) (Legitimate 36 (Illegitimate 2 Total 38 INFECTIOUS DISEASES Typhoid fever l case - deaths Cerebro-spinel fever 3 cases 1 ,, Scarlet fever 286 ,, - ,, Whooping cough 161 ,, 2 ,, Diphtheria 92 ,, 5 ,, Erysipelas 20 ,, - ,, Smallpox - ,, - ,, Measles 461 ,, 2 ,, Pneumonia 157 ,, 50 ,, Puerperal fever 4 ,, 4 ,, Puerperal pyrexia 7 ,, Paratyphoid fever 1 1 • continued/ 2 DISINFECTION & DISINFESTATION Premises disinfected (infectious disease) 1,101 Total articles disinfected in Steam Disinfector 25,783 Premises disinfected (requests) 36 Articles disinfected in Mobile Disinfector 43 Premises disinfected (verminous conditions) 294 Books disinfected in Formalin chember 408 BATHING CENTRE No. of school children who received baths (other than for Scabies 1,609 Baths given to adult males (verminous conditions) 373 Scabies baths to School children 3,661 Scabies baths given to adult males 499 Adult females and young children who received baths (other than for Scabies) 64 Scabies baths to adult females and young children 1,981. MORTUARY & CORONER'S COURT Bodies received 334 Inquests held 82 MATERNITY & CHILD WELFARE Visits paid by Health Visitors:- To expectant mothers First visits 934 Total visits 1,212 To children under 1 year First visits 1,139 Total visits 6,346 To children 1-5 yesrs of age Total visits 6,345 Infant Welfare Centres Total children who attended 2,248 Ante-natal Centres Total women who attended (x. inclusive of 230 who attended the Ante-natal Clinic at St. John's Home, Watson Street) 1,113 Post-natal Centres Total women who attended 270 CHILD LIFE PROTECTION Persons receiving children for reward (registered foster mothers) 8 Number of children involved 8 Total visits of Health Visitors 38 GYNAECOLOGICAL & POST-NATAL CLINIC Total women who attended 162 continue d/ 3 WAR TIME DAY NURSERIES At the end of the year under report, three nurseries were functioning under the direction of this Council. TUBERCULOSIS Cases notified for first time (Pulmonery 133 (Non-pulmonery 19 New cases coming to knowledge otherwise than by formal notification (Pulmonery 17 (Non-pulmonery 5 TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY Cases on Dispensary Register 31/12/43 443 Consultations between Practitioners and Tuberculosis Officer 411 Number of contacts examined 129 Visits of Tuberculosis Officer to homes 191 Total attendances of patients and contacts at Dispensary 1,996 Visits of Tuberculosis Health Visitors to homes (To Dispensary cases 2,805 X-ray examinations made in connection with Dispensary cases 658 (To other cases 1,175 Total specimens of sputum examined at Dispensary 719 TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE Recommendations for institutional treatment to Care Committee 189 Visits paid by Secretary 891 Interviews 808 Cases dealt with by Care Committee 749 Sums raised by Christmas Seals (1943) £119.6.7d. Expenses £3.17.6d. SANITARY INSPECTION Total primary inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors 5,840 Total re-inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors 16,933 Total number of Intimation Notices served 1,295 Total number of Statutory Notices served 467 Cases in which legal proceedings were instituted to enforce compliance with Notices 17 HOUSING ACTS Dwelling houses represented as unfit for human habitation 3 continued/ 4 FOOD AND DRUGS ACT Milk Others Total Samples taken 234 170 404 Number of adulterated or otherwise infringing the Act, by reason of improper labelling. 3 15 18 Instanoes in which legal proceedings were instituted 1 1 My thanks are due to the staff, both permenent and temporary, for the able manner they have discharged their duties under conditions of exceptional difficulty. I have the honour to be Your obedient Servant, Medical Officer of Health.