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
Camberwell 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Camberwell.
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iii
The change in character of Dulwich in this regard is very
noticeable in recent years since the erection of new houses. Previously
the population largely consisted of persons above the childbearing
age, and who lived in large houses with many servants, so
that there was of necessity a number of births small in proportion
to the population and with the necessary sequence of a low birthrate.
Table C.—Birth-rates of Camberwell and its Sub-Districts.
| Year. | Borough. | Dulwich. | South Camberwell. | North Camberwell. | South Peckham. | North Peckham. | St. George's. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | 24.7 | 13.1 | 21.5 | 23.9 | 22.9 | 29.3 | 29.3 |
| 1908 | 25.1 | 13.7 | 23.4 | 26.7 | 24.0 | 28.1 | 28.7 |
The total number of deaths properly referable to the Borough
was 3,602, being 221 less than last year. A distinction has to
be drawn between the deaths registered in the Borough and those
which should be referred to it, and which alone must be used for the
calculation of the death-rate. The former class in our case will
include certain deaths in the two lunatic asylums of persons who,
until they entered those institutions, were never inhabitants of
Camberwell, and it will also include the mortality among those
inmates of St. Saviour's Infirmary, who, while really inhabitants of
Table D.—Re-distribution of Deaths among the Sub-Districts of Camberwell.
| District. | Deaths returned classified according to sub-districts. | Deaths of persons removed from unknown addresses in the Borough re-distributed. | Estimates of total deaths due to sub-districts. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dulwich | 132 | 4 | 136 |
| South Camberwell | 506 | 12 | 518 |
| North Camberwell | 945 | 19 | 964 |
| South Peckham | 546 | 13 | 559 |
| North Peckham | 764 | 14 | 778 |
| St. George's | 634 | 13 | 647 |
| Total | 3,527 | 75 | 3,602 |