[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]

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SECTION A.—STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA.

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Industry. The number of factories and workshops as defined by the Factories and Workshops Act at the end of the year was as follows:—

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The monthly recordings are as shown below:— RAINFALL, 1937.

	Joseph hood Recreation Ground.	West Barnes Pumping Station.

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SUMMARY OF VITAL STATISTICS FOR 1937. (Registrar General's Figures). Population: Mid. 2937 Registrar General's Estimate 65,530 Births:

	M.	F.	Total.

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POPULATION. The Registrar General's estimate of the mid-year population is 65,530. My own estimate based on local information is 66,450, distributed in wards as follows:—

Wards	Houses at mid. 1937	Estimated Population mid. 1937

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BIRTHS, 1937—DISTRIBUTION BY WARDS.

Wards	Live Births	Still Births	Total Births	Birth Rate

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This represents 55% of the total, which is 4% higher than in 1936. They took place in the following institutions:—

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The following shows the number of institutional births for each ward:—

Wards	Total Births (Live and Still)	Births in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, etc.	Percentage of Total Births which occurred in Hospitals, etc.

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TABLE I. COMPARATIVE STATISTICS, 1937. (R.G.'s Provisional Figures with Corresponding Figures for Merton and Morden added).

	England and Wales	125 County Boro's and Great Towns including London	148 Smaller Towns (Resident Populations 25,000 to 50,000 at 1931 Census	London Administrative County	Merton and Morden

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TABLE II. Showing Births and Deaths with Rates since the Amalgamation of Merton with Morden.

Year.	Estimated population.	Total Births.	Birth Rate.	Total Deaths.	Death Rate.

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DEATHS. The registered deaths numbered 487, of which 262 were males, and 225 females. This total was arrived at by transfer adjustments in the following manner:—

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TABLE III. Ward Death Rates and Mean Age at Death.

Wards	Deaths	Death Rate (crude)	Mean age at death

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TABLE IV. Deaths from Cancer—Sites Affected.

Group	Cancer of	Male	Female	Total

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The cancer death rates for the last ten years were as follows:-

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TABLE V. Deaths from Respiratory Diseases, 1925-37.

Year	Bronchitis	Pneumonia	Other Respiratory Diseases	Total	Death Rate

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Inquests. Inquests were held on 27 deaths which took place in the district, 12 of which were in respect of persons not resident in the district. The verdicts returned were as follows:—

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TABLE VI. Causes of Death during the Year 1937—By Age Groups.

No.	Cause of Death	0—		1—		2—		5—		15—		25—		35—		45—		55—		65—		75—		All Ages
No.	Cause of Death	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	Pers.

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TABLE VII. MATERNAL MORTALITY, 1924-37.

Year	Death rate per thousand total births
Year	Sepsis	Other causes	Total

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The infant mortality rates since 1921 are as follows:—

Year.	Deaths per 1,000 live births.	Year.	Deaths per 1,000 live births.

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As the total registered live births was 812 these rates will be slightly less than the actual, but will be sufficiently accurate for comparative purposes.

Wards	Live Births	Infant Deaths	Deaths per 1,000 live births

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Similar rates based upon the figures in respect of the last 3-year period 1935-37 are as follows:—

Wards	Live Births 1935-37	Infant Deaths 1935-37	Deaths per 1,000 live births 1935-37

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TABLE VIII.—INFANT MORTALITY DURING THE YEAR 1937. Deaths classified as to cause and age at death.

Cause of Death.	Under 1 week.	1—2 weeks.	2—3 weeks.	3—4 weeks.	Total under 4 weeks.	4 weeks and under 3 months	3 months and under 6 months	6 months and under 9 months	9 months and under 12 months	Total deaths under 1 year

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The following examinations were made during the year

Examination.	No. performed.	Positive resxdt.

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The following is a summary of the working of the Council's ambulance service during the year:— AMBULANCE CALLS, 1937.

1937	Calls received from Public	Calls received from neighbouring Brigades	Total Calls Received	Calls transferred to other Authorities	Calls answered by Own Ambulance

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CLINICS AND TREATMENT CENTRES. 1.—Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics (provided by the Council).

Centre	Clinic	Times of Clinic

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2.—Diphtheria Immunisation Clinics (provided by the Council).

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3.—School Clinics (provided by Surrey Education Committee).

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4.—Tuberculosis Dispensaries (provided by Surrey County Council).

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The accommodation of this voluntary hospital to whose funds the Council makes an annual grant is 86 beds, arranged as follows:—

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(b) Maternity Services—

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Number of patients admitted from Merton and Morden—

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TABLE IX. CASES ADMITTED TO THE WANDLE VALLEY ISOLATION HOSPITAL DURING THE YEAR 1937.

Disease	lieddington and Wallington		Coulsdon and Purley		Merton and Morden		Mitcham
Disease	Oases	Deaths	Cases;	Deaths	Cases	Deaths	CaeCf	Deaths

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Public Health Act, 1936, Section 203—Notification of Births.—The births notified under Section 203 as adjusted by transferred notifications were:—

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TABLE X. Attendances at Maternity Clinics, 1937.

Centre	No. on Register	Attendances		Sessions	Average attendances per session
Centre	No. on Register	Primary	Total	Sessions	Average attendances per session

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TABLE XI. Attendances at Infant Consultation Clinics, 1937.

Centre	No. on Register	Attendances		Sessions	Average attendances per session
Centre	No. on Register	Primary	Total	Sessions	Average attendances per session

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TABLE XII. Attendances at Special Toddlers Clinics (2-5 Years), 1937.

Centre	Routine examinations	Observation attendances	Total attendances	Sessions	Average attendances per session

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TABLE XIIL Attendances at all Infant Welfare Clinics, 1937. (Infant Consultation and Special Toddler).

Centre	No. on Register	Attendances		Sessions	Average attendance per session
Centre	No. on Register	* Primary	Total	Sessions	Average attendance per session

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TABLE XIV. Attendances at all Centres over last 10 Years.

Year	No. of Infants attending during year	No. of Women attending Maternity Clinics	ATTENDANCES Infants		Maternity	Grand Total
Year	No. of Infants attending during year	No. of Women attending Maternity Clinics	Primary under 1 yr.	Total	Maternity	Grand Total

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TABLE XV. CHILDREN ATTENDING CENTRES DURING 1937. By Age Groups.

Children born in	MERTON CENTRE			MORDEN CENTRE			RAYNES	PARK CENTRE		PARISH HALL CENTRE			ALL CENTRES
Children born in	Number attended	Attendances	Average attendances per child	Number attended	Attendances	Average attendances per child	Number attended	Attendances	Average attendances per child	Number attended	Attendances	Average attendances per child	Number attended	Attendances	Average attendances per child

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TABLE XVI. Number of Children under 1 Year and Expectant Mothers Attending' the Centres in Relation to the Registered Births.

Year	Registered births	Infants under 1 year		Mothers who attended either Ante-Natally or Post-Natally.
Year	Registered births	Primary attendances	Percentage of registered births	Number attended	Percentage of registered births

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Total attendances during the year— (1) By children under 1 year

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Number of children who first attended during the year, and who on the date of their first attendance were—

	All Districts.	Merton & Morden only.

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In addition 345 other visits were made for special purposes in connection with puerperal pyrexia, ophthalmia neonatorum, diphtheria swabbing, etc., whilst a further 338 visits were made to foster children under Infant Life Protection.

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TABLE XVII. MILK GRANTS, 1937.

Wards.	Free Milk.			Half-price.
Wards.	Individuals	Families	Pints Supplied	Individuals	Families	Pints Supplied

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The quantity supplied during the last seven years was as follows:—

	Free Milk.	Milk at half-price.

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Convalescent Home Treatment. Through the agency of the Invalid Children's Aid Association 5 children were provided with convalescent home treatment, towards the cost of which the Council gave assistance. They were recommended for the following conditions:—

Condition.	Age of Child.	Period of Treatment.

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TABLE XVII1. ATTENDANCES AT DENTAL CLINIC, 1937.

Centre referred from.	No. who attended during year.	No. of attendances made.

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TABLE XIX. DENTAL SCHEME, 1937—Operations Performed.

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Visits made—

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Cases conducted—

		Primip.	Multip.	Total.

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A systematic inspection of working class houses was carried out and in this connection 105 houses in the undermentioned roads were subjected to detailed survey and the necessary particulars recorded in accordance with the Housing Consolidated Regulations:—

	No. of houses.

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Notices to execute the necessary repairs were served upon owners of properties as follows:—

Intimation Notices.		Statutory Notices.

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Meat Inspection. CARCASES INSPECTED AND CONDEMNED.

	Cattle	Cows	Calves	Sheep	Pigs

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Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936. The following licences were granted to dealers by the Local Authority under the Order, and were in force at 31st December, 1937.

Designation.	No.

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Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928. The above-mentioned Act is administered by the Surrey County Council and during 1937 samples were obtained by the County Inspectors and submitted to the public analyst as follows:—

Articles.	Analysed.			Adulterated or Deteriorated.
Articles.	Formal.	Informal.	Total.	Formal.	Informal.	Total.

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Factories and Workshops. The number of inspections made to premises registered under the Factories and Workshops Act was 81. Particulars of the matters dealt with will be found in the table at page 57. The following list indicates the nature of the industries carried on at the larger factories in the district:—

Trade.	No.	Trade.	No.

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The following table shows the calls made upon the ambulance service during the past five years:—

Year.	Accidents.	Hospitals.	Total.

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SECTION D—HOUSING. New Houses. The new houses erected during the year were:—

Wards.	By the Local Authority.	By the London County Council.	By other bodies or persons.		Total.
Wards.	By the Local Authority.	By the London County Council.	Flats	H'ses	Total.

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Council's Housing Scheme. The houses erected or acquired by the Council under the various Acts are as follows :—

Act.	Type						Total
Act.	Cotts.	N.P.2	N.P.3	N.P.4	P.3	P.4	Total

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Details of the overcrowding and decrowding in the individual wards is shown in the following table:—

Wards.	Overcrowded at end of 1936	Subsequently, found to be overcrowded	Decrowded during the year.	Overcrowded at end of 1937.

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FACTORY & WORKSHOP ACT, 1901. 1. Inspection of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.

Premises.	Number of
Premises.	Inspections.	Written Notices.	Occupiers prosecuted.
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)

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2. Defects found in Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.

Particulars.	Number of Defects.			N umber of offences in respect of which Prosecutions were instituted.
Particulars.	Found.	Remedied.	Referred to H.M. Inspector
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)

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OUTWORK IN UNWHOLESOME PREMISES, SECTION 108.

Nature of Work.	Instances.	Notices served.	Prosecutions.
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)

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TABLE XX. SCARLET FEVER—MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION.

1937	Wards.									Total.
1937	Abbey.	Bushey Mead.	Central.	Morden.	Park.	Ravensbury.	Raynes Park.	St. Helier.	West Barnes.	Total.

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The incidence in the various wards is shown below, together with corresponding figures for 1936.

Wards.	Cases.	Incidence per 1,000 population, 1937	Incidence per 1,000 population, 1936

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TABLE XXI. SCARLET FEVER—MULTIPLE CASES OCCURRING IN DOMESTIC DWELLINGS.

Wards.	Total cases in houses in each Ward.	No. of houses in		which occurred.		No. of houses with cases.
Wards.	Total cases in houses in each Ward.	1 case	2 cases.	3 cases.	4 cases.	No. of houses with cases.

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TABLE XXII. INCIDENCE AND FATALITY OF SCARLET FEVER OYER LAST 20 YEARS.

Year.	Population.	No. of eases.	Incidence rate per 1,000 population.	No. of deaths.	Percentage of deaths to cases.

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TABLE XXIII. DIPHTHERIA, 1937—WARD INCIDENCE.

Wards.	Cases.	Rate per 1,000 population 1937.

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TABLE XXIV. DIPHTHERIA—MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION, 1937.

1937	Wards.									Total.
1937	Abbey.	Bushey Mead.	Central.	Morden.	Park.	Kavensbury.	Raynes Park.	St. Helier.	We6t Barnes.	Total.

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TABLE XXV. DIPHTHERIA—MULTIPLE CASES OCCURRING IN DOMESTIC DWELLINGS, 1937.

Wards.	Total cases.	No. of houses with				No. of houses with cases.
Wards.	Total cases.	1 Case.	2 Cases.	3 Cases.	4 Cases.	No. of houses with cases.

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TABLE XXVI. DIPHTHERIA—INCIDENCE BY AGE GROUPS.

	AGE GROUPS											Total all Ages
	Under 1 year	1-2 years	2-3 years	3-4 years	4-5 years	5-10 years	10-15 years	15-25 years	25-35 years	35-45 years	Over 45 years	Total all Ages

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TABLE XXVII. PERSONS IMMUNISED AT CLINICS DURING 1937.

Wards.	Age Groups			Total.
Wards.	0-5 years	5-15 years	15 and over	Total.

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TABLE XXVIII. PERSONS IMMUNISED BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS 1937.

Wards	0-5 yeare	5-15 years	15 and over	Total

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TABLE XXIX. CHILDREN IMMUNISED IN SCHOOLS, 1937.

School	Incomplete	Complete

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Since the first immunisation clinic was opened in May, 1934, the following number of persons have been immunised under the scheme:—

	At Clinics.	By Doctors.	In Schools.	Total.

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TABLE XXX. INCIDENCE AND FATALITY OF DIPHTHERIA, 1919-1937.

Year.	Population.	No. of cases.	Incidence rate per 1,000 population.	No. of deaths.	Percentage of deaths to cases.

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recovered after home treatment.

Cases.			Vision Unimpaired.	Vision Impaired.	Total Blindness.	Death.
Notified.	Treated
Notified.	At Home	In Hosp.

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TABLE XXXI. INFECTIOUS DISEASES, NOTIFICATION DEATHS AND DISTRIBUTION, 1937.

Disease	Cases Notified	Case rate per 1,000 Population	Deaths among notified cases	Percentage of deaths to cases	Distribution of cases Wards									No. of cases removed to hospital	Percentage of cases removed to hospital
Disease	Cases Notified	Case rate per 1,000 Population	Deaths among notified cases	Percentage of deaths to cases	Abbey	Bushey Mead	Central	Morden	Park	Ravensbury	Raynes Park	St. Helier	West Barnes	No. of cases removed to hospital	Percentage of cases removed to hospital

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TABLE XXXII. NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES (other than Tuberculosis) by Age Groups during the year 1937.

Disease.	TOTAL CASES NOTIFIED.													Total Cases at all Ages.
Disease.	Under 1 year	1-2	2-3	3-4	4-5	5-10	10-15		15-25	25-35	35-45	45-65	65 and over	Total Cases at all Ages.

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TABLE XXXIII. MONTHLY INCIDENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, 1937.

Disease.	Jan.	Feb.	Mar.	April	May	June	July	Aug.	Sept.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Totals

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TUBERCULOSIS. New cases admitted to the register numbered 134, compared with 107 in the year before. These additions were:—

	Males.	Females.	Total

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TABLE XXXIV. TUBERCULOSIS REGISTER AT 31st DECEMBER, 1937, AND REGISTERED NUMBER OF TUBERCULOUS PERSONS PER 1,000 POPULATION AT MID-YEAR.

Wards.	Registered at December 31st.			At Mi d-Year.
Wards.	Pulmonary.	Non. Pulmonary.	Total.	Number on Register.	Number on Register per 1,000 population.

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TABLE XXXV. DEATHS DUE TO TUBERCULOSIS, 1937.

Ages Years.	Pulmonary.		Non-Pulmonary.		Totals
Ages Years.	Males.	Females.	Males.	Females.	Totals

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TABLE XXXVI. TUBERCULOSIS—New Cases, Age and Sex, Distribution and manner of Admission to Register, 1937.

Age Groups. Years.	Primary Notifications ("A").				Cases transferred from other districts.				Cases brought to notice otherwise than by notification and transfer.				Total new cases.
	Pulmonary.		Non-Pulmonary.		Pulmonary.		Non-Pulmonary.		Pulmonary.		Non-Pulmonary.
	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F	M	F

London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report tables

Merton and Morden 1937

84 tables in this report

SECTION A.—STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA.

Industry. The number of factories and workshops as defined by the Factories and Workshops Act at the end of the year was as follows:—

The monthly recordings are as shown below:— RAINFALL, 1937.

SUMMARY OF VITAL STATISTICS FOR 1937. (Registrar General's Figures). Population: Mid. 2937 Registrar General's Estimate 65,530 Births:

POPULATION. The Registrar General's estimate of the mid-year population is 65,530. My own estimate based on local information is 66,450, distributed in wards as follows:—

BIRTHS, 1937—DISTRIBUTION BY WARDS.

This represents 55% of the total, which is 4% higher than in 1936. They took place in the following institutions:—

The following shows the number of institutional births for each ward:—

TABLE I. COMPARATIVE STATISTICS, 1937. (R.G.'s Provisional Figures with Corresponding Figures for Merton and Morden added).

TABLE II. Showing Births and Deaths with Rates since the Amalgamation of Merton with Morden.

DEATHS. The registered deaths numbered 487, of which 262 were males, and 225 females. This total was arrived at by transfer adjustments in the following manner:—

TABLE III. Ward Death Rates and Mean Age at Death.

TABLE IV. Deaths from Cancer—Sites Affected.

The cancer death rates for the last ten years were as follows:-

TABLE V. Deaths from Respiratory Diseases, 1925-37.

Inquests. Inquests were held on 27 deaths which took place in the district, 12 of which were in respect of persons not resident in the district. The verdicts returned were as follows:—

TABLE VI. Causes of Death during the Year 1937—By Age Groups.

TABLE VII. MATERNAL MORTALITY, 1924-37.

The infant mortality rates since 1921 are as follows:—

As the total registered live births was 812 these rates will be slightly less than the actual, but will be sufficiently accurate for comparative purposes.

Similar rates based upon the figures in respect of the last 3-year period 1935-37 are as follows:—

TABLE VIII.—INFANT MORTALITY DURING THE YEAR 1937. Deaths classified as to cause and age at death.

The following examinations were made during the year

The following is a summary of the working of the Council's ambulance service during the year:— AMBULANCE CALLS, 1937.

CLINICS AND TREATMENT CENTRES. 1.—Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics (provided by the Council).

2.—Diphtheria Immunisation Clinics (provided by the Council).

3.—School Clinics (provided by Surrey Education Committee).

4.—Tuberculosis Dispensaries (provided by Surrey County Council).

The accommodation of this voluntary hospital to whose funds the Council makes an annual grant is 86 beds, arranged as follows:—

(b) Maternity Services—

Number of patients admitted from Merton and Morden—

TABLE IX. CASES ADMITTED TO THE WANDLE VALLEY ISOLATION HOSPITAL DURING THE YEAR 1937.

Public Health Act, 1936, Section 203—Notification of Births.—The births notified under Section 203 as adjusted by transferred notifications were:—

TABLE X. Attendances at Maternity Clinics, 1937.

TABLE XI. Attendances at Infant Consultation Clinics, 1937.

TABLE XII. Attendances at Special Toddlers Clinics (2-5 Years), 1937.

TABLE XIIL Attendances at all Infant Welfare Clinics, 1937. (Infant Consultation and Special Toddler).

TABLE XIV. Attendances at all Centres over last 10 Years.

TABLE XV. CHILDREN ATTENDING CENTRES DURING 1937. By Age Groups.

TABLE XVI. Number of Children under 1 Year and Expectant Mothers Attending' the Centres in Relation to the Registered Births.

Total attendances during the year— (1) By children under 1 year

Number of children who first attended during the year, and who on the date of their first attendance were—

In addition 345 other visits were made for special purposes in connection with puerperal pyrexia, ophthalmia neonatorum, diphtheria swabbing, etc., whilst a further 338 visits were made to foster children under Infant Life Protection.

TABLE XVII. MILK GRANTS, 1937.

The quantity supplied during the last seven years was as follows:—

Convalescent Home Treatment. Through the agency of the Invalid Children's Aid Association 5 children were provided with convalescent home treatment, towards the cost of which the Council gave assistance. They were recommended for the following conditions:—

TABLE XVII1. ATTENDANCES AT DENTAL CLINIC, 1937.

TABLE XIX. DENTAL SCHEME, 1937—Operations Performed.

Visits made—

Cases conducted—

A systematic inspection of working class houses was carried out and in this connection 105 houses in the undermentioned roads were subjected to detailed survey and the necessary particulars recorded in accordance with the Housing Consolidated Regulations:—

Notices to execute the necessary repairs were served upon owners of properties as follows:—

Meat Inspection. CARCASES INSPECTED AND CONDEMNED.

Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936. The following licences were granted to dealers by the Local Authority under the Order, and were in force at 31st December, 1937.

Food and Drugs (Adulteration) Act, 1928. The above-mentioned Act is administered by the Surrey County Council and during 1937 samples were obtained by the County Inspectors and submitted to the public analyst as follows:—

The following table shows the calls made upon the ambulance service during the past five years:—

SECTION D—HOUSING. New Houses. The new houses erected during the year were:—

Council's Housing Scheme. The houses erected or acquired by the Council under the various Acts are as follows :—

Details of the overcrowding and decrowding in the individual wards is shown in the following table:—

FACTORY &amp; WORKSHOP ACT, 1901. 1. Inspection of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.

2. Defects found in Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.

OUTWORK IN UNWHOLESOME PREMISES, SECTION 108.

TABLE XX. SCARLET FEVER—MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION.

The incidence in the various wards is shown below, together with corresponding figures for 1936.

TABLE XXI. SCARLET FEVER—MULTIPLE CASES OCCURRING IN DOMESTIC DWELLINGS.

TABLE XXII. INCIDENCE AND FATALITY OF SCARLET FEVER OYER LAST 20 YEARS.

TABLE XXIII. DIPHTHERIA, 1937—WARD INCIDENCE.

TABLE XXIV. DIPHTHERIA—MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION, 1937.

TABLE XXV. DIPHTHERIA—MULTIPLE CASES OCCURRING IN DOMESTIC DWELLINGS, 1937.

TABLE XXVI. DIPHTHERIA—INCIDENCE BY AGE GROUPS.

TABLE XXVII. PERSONS IMMUNISED AT CLINICS DURING 1937.

TABLE XXVIII. PERSONS IMMUNISED BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS 1937.

FACTORY & WORKSHOP ACT, 1901. 1. Inspection of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.