View report page

The death rate for the Borough in 1902, was 21.3 per 1,000 living inhabitants, being .5
above that for 1901, and .7 below the average for the last ten years. The cause of this increase
may be almost entirely traced to an epidemic of measles, which visited the Borough in 1902,
and brought the deaths from that disease up to double the number for the previous year, and
also to the cold wet summer which made some increase in the deaths from respiratory diseases.
This, however, was largely compensated by the fewer number of deaths from summer diarrhœa.
The rate is highest in St. Olave's, but, as pointed out last year, to the smallness of the
numbers, this cannot be accepted as proof of more insanitary than the rest of the
Borough. Bermondsey is a little higher than Rotherhithe, viz.: 21.8, against 19.5, and in this
case probably depends on the greater density of population in the former.
There were 63 deaths of non-parishioners registered as occurring in the district in 1902.
The slight increase on the average for the last ten years is purely accidental.
In Col. 1, at the foot of Table I. of Appendix will be found a list of places where the
deaths of non-parishioners occurred in the district. 32 such deaths took place at the South
Wharf where patients died on their way to the Hospital Ships; 13 occurred in the Infirmary,
and 12 in the River Thames; 4 in Surrey Commercial Docks; 1 in Tunnel Road, and 1 in
Croft Street. 496 parishioners belonging to this Borough died in outlying institutions. The
names of the various places where the deaths occurred will be found in Cols. II. and III. at foot
of Table I. of Appendix. The numbers for the previous ten years will be found in Table I., and
it will be seen that though they vary considerably during that period, they show on the whole a
tendency to increase. This is probably due to the fact that, especially as regards infectious
diseases, there are now a greater number of people availing themselves of hospital treatment
than formerly.
Table C.—Death Rate.
Year.
Bermondsey.
Rotherhithe.
St. Olave's.
Whole
Borough.
London.
1892
22.79
21.39
27.67
22.8
20.3
1893
23.56
23.31
25.37
23.6
21.0
1894
20.35
19.10
22.20
20.1
17.4
1895
21.89
19.47
26.44
21.6
19.4
1896
21.95
20.70
22.44
21.6
18.2
1897
22.22
19.20
22.54
21.4
17.7
1898
21.05
19.56
21.42
20.6
18.3
1899
24.70
22.11
26.42
24.1
19.3
1900
23.49
22.79
22.91
23.2
18.3
1901
21.47
19.47
20.97
20.8
17.1
Average
for years
1892-1901
22.35
20.71
23.84
22.0
19.0
1902
21.80
19.50
24.82
21.3
17.5
Infantile Mortality.
While the general mortality has been steadily decreasing, unfortunately the infantile
mortality shows no appreciable decline of late years. With a steadily diminishing birth-rate
this becomes a subject of vital importance to the community. In commenting on this subject in
last year's Report, I mentioned some seven causes of infantile mortality. Some of the causes are
much more important than others, so much so that they might almost be reduced to two, viz.,
improper feeding, and insanitary surroundings, and of these two the first cause is the principal.
The more one considers the subject the more importance does improper feeding assume in
infantile mortality. In looking at Table IV. of Appendix it will be seen that in deaths under one
year of age, gastro-intestinal diseases (including tubercular diseases) and respiratory diseases
account for the majority. But these do not quite represent the true state of matters, for
improper feeding, when not giving rise to distinct intestinal disorders, undoubtedly paves the way
for many of the deaths from respiratory and other diseases by weakening and undermining the
system, so that I am inclined to give it a much more important rôle than a glance at this
Table would suggest. Improper feeding is due mainly to poverty, ignorance, and actual
carelessness on the part of parents with regard to the feeding of their infants. On making
enquiries on this matter I have been greatly struck by the want of knowledge among mothers
respecting the methods of infant feeding. Improper feeding takes two forms, and consists
(1) of not feeding children on their mother's milk, and (2) giving unsuitable artificial food.
For infants under one year the staple, and for at least the first six months, the only food
should be milk of some form. If the child cannot have mother's milk, cow's milk diluted is the
best substitute. As the greater number of children in Bermondsey, either from choice on the
part of the mother or of necessity, owing to her having to go to work, are artificially fed, it
becomes of prime importance to see that the cow's milk supplied to the people is pure, of good
quality, and fresh. From special enquiries made into 2,150 cases of infectious disease during
1901 and 1902, it appears that about 57 per cent, of the families used condensed milk, and in
the large majority of cases, cheap condensed " skimmed" or " separated milk." Having got the milk
pure the next step would be to teach the mothers how to keep it so till the infant has it. There
5