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CAM 21
Report of the medical Officer of health.
In this, the last report that I shall have the honour to present
to the Borough of Camberwell, I propose to follow the instructions
of the Ministry of Health in 1919 in its arrangements and contents, but
only in so far as the physical features and the general character of
the district have undergone any change from that year will they
receive any special notice.
The estimated population used by the Registrar-General in the
preparation of the vital statistics for 1920 in Camberwell was
284,995. In the last two reports the possibility was mentioned of
this being an over-estimate, and the census figures of 1921 show
these doubts to have had some foundation. In fact, in 1919 an
estimate was given of the population for housing purposes and
needs, which is interesting from the fact that it was apparently considered
so inaccurate by the Council that they, acting, I presume,
on information supplied from other sources, revised my figures.
Whether their information came from inside or outside the confines
of the Council I know not; suffice it to say that the alteration was
made.
The Registrar-General's adjusted figure for 1921 is 269,600,
while my estimate for 1919 was 263,000, that substituted by the
Council being increased to 278,000. The decision as to which was
the more correct with confidence I can leave to the judgment of my
readers.
The latest figures furnished by the Registrar General still more
closely approach the estimate I made for the Council in 1919.
The total number of births registered in the Borough was
6,301, some 1,200 less than in 1920. In 1919, when the effects of the
war were still evident, it was 5,183, but in 1921 the disturbing
factor of so many men being away on active service did not exist,
and the considerable decrease would certainly point to the existence
of some other cause directly limiting the number of births.
Births in Camberwell and its Sub-Districts, 1921.
* South Peckham, North Peckham and St. George's.
1,753
2,080
1,360
825*
1,718
2,010
1,398
632
814
1,654
2,064
1,467
1,166
996
1,114
772
584
180
237
186
163
North
Camberwell.
Peckham.
North-West
Camberwell.
E. Dulwich
Dulwich.
6,301
7,505
5,183
4,186
Borough.
1921
1920
1919
1918
Year.