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
Merton and Morden 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Merton & Morden]
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planning the factory areas so that they are as remote as possible
from the residential parts of the area the Authority has secured
the preservation of recreational facilities and open spaces for the
population by the dedication of some 360 acres of land for public
parks.
The Council Offices are themselves situated in Morden Hall
Park, a beautiful site close to the busy centre of Morden and
within easy walk of the biggest of the factory sites, available for
recreation to many thousands who live and work close by and
through which the River Wandle wends its way to the Thames and
the sea. It is a tragedy that a district which has so carefully
planned its own amenities should have them ruined by the municipal
undertaking of a neighbouring Authority, which, it seems,
must happen if the Croydon Council carry out their threat to withdraw
their effluent from the River Wandle to cool the electrical
equipment in their new Power Station.
Climatic Conditions. Rain gauges are installed at the
Joseph Hood Recreation Ground and West Barnes Pumping
Station.
The monthly recordings are as shown below:—
| MONTH | JOSEPH HOOD RECREATION GROUND | WEST BARNES PUMPING STATION | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inches | Days with 0.01in. or more | Days with 0.04in. or more | Inches | Days with 0.01in. or more | Days with 0.04in. or more | |
| January | .90 | 7 | 3 | 1.00 | 9 | |
| February | 2.75 | 18 | 17 | 4.18 | 19 | 17 |
| March | .69 | 10 | 7 | .82 | 11 | 7 |
| April | 3.29 | 19 | 15 | 3.29 | 19 | 15 |
| May | 1.67 | 12 | 9 | 1.83 | 13 | 10 |
| June | 1.59 | 10 | 8 | 1.54 | 12 | 8 |
| July | 3.29 | 19 | 14 | 3.87 | 22 | 21 |
| August | 1.77 | 18 | 13 | 2.14 | 21 | 16 |
| September | 2.54 | 22 | 17 | 3.01 | 23 | 19 |
| October | .40 | 8 | 4 | .46 | 9 | 7 |
| November | 4.64 | 21 | 14 | 5.02 | 22 | 17 |
| December | 1.79 | 18 | 10 | 1.82 | 20 | 10 |
| 25.32 | 182 | 131 | 28.98 | 200 | 151 | |
VITAL STATISTICS.
The Vital Statistics figures which the Registrar General supplies
to us each year show again this year a fall in the number
of births from 985 to 938, an increase in the number of deaths
from 678 to 709 and a consequent fall in the natural increase
from 307 to 229. None the less, our population is estimated at
8