LIBRARY DEPT 29 METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OFDEPTFORD REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1944. Public Health Department, Central Clinic, Amersham Road, S. E. 14. Ootober, 1945. To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Deptford. Mr. Mayor, Ladles and Gentlemen, v The following abridged Report indicates that the health standards were reasonably satisfactorily maintained in the sixth year of the war. GENERAL DATA Area of Borough 1,564 acres Estimated Civilian Population 55,310 Deptford Comparative figures for London Birth rate (per 1,000 living) 15.0 - Still births (per 1,000 total births) 11 Death rate (per 1,000 living) 19.6 15.7 Infantile Mortality rate (deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live births) 57 61 Live births registered Legitimate 974 Illegitimate 65 Total 1,039 Still births registered (Legitimate (Illegitimate Total 10 2 12 Infant deaths (under 1 year) (Legitimate (Illegitimate Total 56 3 59 Total deaths continued/ - 2 - INFECTIOUS DISEASES Typhoid fever - cases - deaths Cerebro-spinal fever 1 " - " Scarlet fever 131 " - " Whooping cough 126 " 3 " Diphtheria 80 " 7 " Erysipelas 24 " - Snallpox - " - " Measles 323 " 1 " Pneumonia (Acute Primary and Acute Influenzal)105 " 53 " x Puerperal fever 5 " ) 1 M Puerperal pyrexia 1 " ) Scabies 444 " - " Malaria 2 " - " Ophthalmia Neonatorum 5 " - " Dysentery13" - " Diarrhoea and Enteritis (under 2 years) 33 " - " x all types. DISINFECTION AND DISINGUSTATION In July, 1944, the Disinfecting Station and Bathing Centre, Waston Street, were destroyed by enemy action, • The London County Council kindly placed the Disinfecting plant at the South Eastern Hospital at our disposal and a temporary bathing centre has functioned at the hospital by utilisation of the gas cleansing centre. Premises disinfected Total articles disinfected (infectious disease) 617 in Steam Disinfector 34,761 Premises disinfected Books disinfected in (requests) 28 Formalin chamber. 207 Premises disinfected Articles destroyed at (verminous conditions) 235 owners' request 211 BATHING CENTRE No. of school children who received baths (other than for Scabies) 1,118 Baths given to adult males (verminous conditions) 383 Scabies baths to school 2,061 Scabies baths given to adult males 484 Adult females and young children who received baths (other than for Scabies) 79 Scabies baths to adult females and young children 1,476 mortuary & coroner's court Bodies received 563 Inquests held 90 continued/ - 3 - maternity & child welfare Visits paid by Health Visitors:- To expectant mothers First visits 810 Total visits 1, 066 To children under 1 year First visits 928 " " 5. 198 To children 1-5 years of age 6, 662 Infant Welfare Centres Total children who attended 1, 321 Ante-natal Centres Total women who attended 888* (x inclusive of 140 who attended the Ante-natal Clinic at St.John's Home, Watson Street) Post-natal Centres Total women who attended 39 child life protection Persons receiving children for reward, at end of year 1944. 2 Number of children involved 2 Total visits of Health Visitors 56 GYNAECOLOGICAL & P0ST-NATAL CLINIC Total individual mothers who attended 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 (Pulmonary (Non-pulmonary 105 28 New cases coming to knowledge otherwise than by formal notification (Pulmonary (Non-pulmonary 6 - continued/ _ 4 - TUBERCULOSIS DISPENSARY Cases on Dispensary Register 31/12/44 447 Consultations between Practitioners and Tuberculosis Officer. 312 Number of contacts examined 1,137 Visits of Tuberculosis Officer to homes 205 Total attendances of patients and contacts at Dispensary 1,982 Visits of Tuberculosis Health Visitors to homes - (To Dispensary cases 3,384 X-ray examinations made in connection with Dispensary cases 581 (To other cases 1,362 Total specimens of sputum examined at Dispensary 585 TUBERCULOSIS CARE COMMITTEE Recommendations,for institutional treatment,to Care Committee. 156 Visits paid by Secretary 741 Interviews 716 Cases dealt with by Care Committee 720 Sums raised by Christmas Seals (1944) £128.4.11d. Expenses £4.15. 8d. SANITARY INSPECTION Total primary inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors 5,920 Total re-inspections made by Sanitary Inspectors 15,257 Total number of Intimation Notices served 759 Total number of Statutory Notices served 240 Cases in which legal proceedings were instituted to enforce compliance with Notices 4 HOUSING During the year 1944, Deptford suffered severely from fly-bomb activity, slowing up the repair work to houses damaged by earlier raids and in many instances nullifying the work already done. By December 1944, some 900 premises had been requisitioned for rehousing bombed-out families. Many such premises were in various stages of disrepair, forming the subject of frequent complaint and necessitating numerous visits by the Sanitary Inspectors in an endeavour to secure the abatement of the more clamant nuisances. 500 Hutments and 300 Emergency Factory made Houses were applied for. During the year, one dwelling house was represented as unfit for human habitation. continued/ Metropolitain Borough of Deptford, Public Health Department, Central Welfare Clinic, Amersham. Road, New Cross, S.E.14. 8th October, 1945• The Secretary, Ministry cf Health, Whitehall, S.W.I. Sir, Annual Report Samp, I beg to enclosc, as requested, a futher copy of my abridged report for 1944. Numbr I regret that on the four copies already sent to you an error appears on page 5 under " Pood and Drugs Act' , the first line of which Ins should read as follows:- /Milk. My thanks are due to the staff, both permanent 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, H. Leouans kuft. Medical Officer of Health. - 5 - FOOD AND DRUGS ACT Milk Others Total Samples taken 181 170 388 Number of adulterated or otherwise infringing the .Vet, by reason of improper labelling 8 12 20 Instances in which legal proceedings were instituted 3 1 4 My thanks are due to the staff, both permanent 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, H.Leouans Kutf. Medical Officer of Health. Metropolitan Borough of Deptford, Public Health Department, Central Welfare Clinic, Amersham Road, New Cross, S.E.14. 8th October, 1945. The Secretary, Ministry cf Health, Whitehall, S.W.I. Sir, Annual Report 1344. I beg to enclose, as requested, a further copy of my abridged report for 1944. I regret that on the four copies already sent to you an error appears on page 5 under "Food and Drugs Act" , the first line of which should read as follows:- /Milk. Milk Others Total Samples taken 131 207 388 The- attached copy has been antended accordingly. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, (sgd.) Leonard Keith. Medical Officer of Health.