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Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey.
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my fourth Annual Report on the Sanitary Condition of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey during the year 1904. This report deals with the 52 weeks
which commence on the 3rd January, and end on the 31st December, 1904.
The death rate was 20.1, compared with 18.4 in 1903, the causes for this increase being
explained on page 5.
There have been no serious outbreaks of notifiable infectious diseases during the year,
but measles was very prevalent. The subject matter will be found under the following heads,
viz., I. —Vital Statistics; II.—Notification of Infectious Disease; III. —Sanitary Administration;
IV. —Factories and Workshops.
In the Appendix will be found the various Tables required by the Local Government.
Board, along with other Tables relating to matters dealt with in the Report. A new and
extended Table of the causes of death will also be found here.
I wish to express my thanks to the Chairman and members of the Public Health
Committee for the interest they have displayed in all sanitary matters during the year, and also
to the Chief Inspector and other members of the department for the ready assistance and support
they have given me on all occasions.
I am, gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
R. K. BROWN.
I.—VITAL STATISTICS.
Population.
The populations of the Borough of Bermondsey and its registration sub-districts, as
enumerated in the Census of 1891, 1896 and 1901, were as follow:—
1891.
1896.
Estimate,
1904.
1901.
Bermondsey
84,682
85,475
82,483
81,986
Rotherhithe
39,255
40,379
38,460
38,304
St. Olave's
12,723
11,731
9,817
8,897
Borough
136,660
137,585
129,187
130,760
In commenti on l ar g e changes which took place in the population between the census
periods m the above table, these were attributed to the pulling down of houses in various districts
for railway widening, improvement schemes and the formation of the Thames Tunnel in
Rotherhithe. Buildings have been provided for the greater part of the displaced population in
Abbey Street (now occupied), in Fulford Street area (partly occupied), in Swan Lane (nearly all
occupied), to these have now to be added 64 tenements with a population of 344, built by the
South eastern Railway in Rotherhithe New Road. For this reason I do not think that the London
County Council Census for 1906 will show any marked change from that of 1901, and it is quite
possible that it may show a slight increase.
As, however, there is no accurate method except actual enumeration of finding out the
changes m the population, we must fall back on that adopted in previous reports, viz., an
estimate. This year it has been based on the Registrar General's figures for 1891 and 1901, the
population being assumed to increase or decrease at the same rate as it did in the last intersensal
period. In Bermondsey this works out as a slight decrease. It is on this estimated figure that
the various rates m this report are calculated except where otherwise stated.
To give some idea of the density of population, i.e., the number of inhabitants per acre,
the following table has been prepared. The areas of each ward were kindly worked out by the
borough Surveyor. It will be noticed that in calculating the density the area of the river has
not been taken into account.