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CAM 26
Report of medical Officer of health.
Public Health Department,
35, Brunswick Square,
Camberwell, S.E. 5.
May 31st, 1927.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, —I have the honour to
submit my Annual Report for the year 1926.
The report deals with the vital statistics and sanitary condition
of the Borough, in addition to the particulars of the work
carried out during the year by the staff of the Department.
It is with pleasure that I have to record that the health of
the Borough during the last year was satisfactory. No serious
epidemic of infectious disease occurred, although diphtheria was
prevalent. The birth rate showed a further fall from 17.7 in
1925 to 16.6, the death rate was 11.0 as compared with 11.1 for
the preceding year, and the infantile mortality rate remained at
the figure recorded for the previous year, viz., 64 per 1,000 births.
The problem of the housing shortage shows an improvement
with the passing of every year.
There still remains the difficulty, however, of dealing with
those persons who, from economic causes, cannot afford to pay
for better accommodation, and are compelled to live under conditions
which cannot be described as being satisfactory from the
public health standpoint.
Two insanitary areas, known as the Basing Place and Blue
Anchor Lane areas, were represented during 1926 to be dealt with
under Section 35 of the Housing Act, 1925, and the year covered
by this report was also noteworthy for the following additions to
the Public Health Service:—
(1) Extension of the Municipal Maternity Ward Scheme.
(2) Prevention of infectious diseases.—Establishment of
a Diphtheria Immunisation Clinic.
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