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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.
Ladies and Gentlemen, —
I have the honour to submit my Twenty-fourth Annual Report
on the sanitary condition of the Borough of Bermondsey during
the year 1924. The death rate was 13.6 compared with 12.1 in
1923, and 16.7 in 1922.
The death rate has increased very slightly compared with 1923,
which was exceptionally low. There was no special cause for this
increase as there were no epidemics to record during the year and
there are always liable to be slight fluctuations in the death rate.
The infantile mortality rate was 78 compared with 76 for the
previous year, and this may be considered very satisfactory for a
poor-class Borough like Bermondsey.
During the year under report there were two matters which
especially occupied the attention of the Department and the Council,
and these were Sun Treatment—especially for Tuberculosis —and
Propaganda, having for its object the education of the masses in
hygiene. Various special reports on both these subjects will be found
in the body of this report.
The question of Sun Treatment might be said to have had its
commencement in May of this year when Dr. Rolher gave a lecture