London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1942
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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AC4366
Report for 1942
BET 47
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Patriot Square,
Bethnal Green, E.2.
July, 1943.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In accordance with the practice for the last three years,
I furnish, a brief interim report on the health of the borough
and the work of the Public Health Department in 1942, which I
hope will be followed by a full account after the War.
Comparative figures for recent years are given to enable the
Council to note the extent of some of the changes which are
taking place.
VITAL STATISTICS. Comparing the war years with the average of the 3 preceding years, we have the following figures:-
| 1936 - 8 (average) | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | |
| Death Rate | 12.2 | 11.5 | 20.1 | 20.5 | 14.8 |
| Infant-Death Rate | 70 + | 51 | 50 | 62 | 46 |
| Birth Riate | 13.7 | 12.8 | 15.1 | 17.0 | 19.3 |
| Maternal Mortality Rate | 1.9 | 1.7 | Nil | 1.5 | 1.0 |
+ Greatly influenced by abnormally high rate 01 90 for l936.
Both the shifting of the population and its altered age
composition make the calculation and interpretation of vital
statistics difficult in war time. The general death rate
figure,shows considerable improvement on those for the past 2
years and although it is above the rate for London (13.9) it
would probably not be materially different from the average
for 1936-38 if corrected for the changed age level of the
population. The infant and maternal mortality rates are
satisfactory and no doubt partly reflect the health value of
the special provision for maternal and child welfare in the
food rationing and distribution control which have arisen out
of the war.
The Registrar-General has given 47,410 as his estimate of the
civilian population for the year 1942.
MATERNITY AMD CHILD WELFARE.
During the year, the Maternity and Child Welfare work
was to some extent reorganised, the full-time medical officer
leaving and being replaced by a part-time doctor engaged on a
sessional basis, one health visitor leaving about the same
time, and two health visitors being returned to normal duty
from first aid post service. At the end of the year only one
health visitor remained in the latter service and she has since
been transferred back to her ordinary work. All the essential
services have been maintained throughout the war period. It
is worthy of note that the Home Helps service, which is now
receiving some public attention, has been in active operation
in this borough since 1927 and despite wartime difficulties is
still being carried on.