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CAM 29
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Camberwell, S.E.5.
7th November, 1941.
To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell.
Mr. Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
I have pleasure in presenting to you my report on the health of
the Borough for the year 1940. It is an abridged report prepared on
similar lines to the Report issued last year, and follows the policy
laid down by the Ministry of Health with regard to the issue of Annual
Reports during War-time.
There are no matters affecting the health of the inhabitants of
Camberwell requiring special reference, indeed the health of the
Borough during the year was good and the sanitary administration was
satisfactorily maintained.
The birth rate was 15.90 per 1,000 population; the death rate
was 19.13 per 1,000; the infantile mortality rate 46 per 1,000 births:
and the maternal mortality rate 1.77 per 1,000 live and still-births.
For comparative purposes the birth and death rates are shown for the
years 1938, 1939 and 1940.
1938.
1939.
1940.
13.97
13.85
15.90
Birth rate
Death rate
12.27
12.43
19.13
It will be seen that there was an increase in the birth rate in
1940 and a marked increase in the death rate which was in some measure
due to deaths from enemy action.
During the early days of the War a considerable amount of dislocation
of the normal work of the Department took place as a result of
seconding Sanitary Inspectors for service as Superintendents at
Stretcher Party Depots and Health Visitors as nurses in Charge at First
Aid Posts, but as the organisation of the Casualty Services developed
these Officers were released from these duties to resume their normal
occupations.
The intensive air raid attacks on London towards the end of the
year, in which Camberwell suffered very severely, caused the normal
work of the Department to be again interrupted and new problems of a
varying character had to be faced necessitating almost full-time
service by the outdoor staff on duties associated with evacuation,
billeting the homeless, Rest Centres, sanitary supervision of air raid
shelters, and first aid repairs to damaged properties.
Following my customary practice of taking the opportunity thus
afforded in the preface to my Annual Report of paying tribute to the
work of the staff of the Public Health Department throughout the year,
I desire on this occasion to lay emphasis on their unstinted service
and to acknowledge the valuable co-operation I have received from
every member of the Department in the discharge of my duties as Medical
Officer of Health.
I also wish to thank the members of the Council and the members
of the Emergency Committee and A.R.P. Controller for the unfailing
consideration and courtesy they have shown to me during the year under
review.
Your obedient Servant,
H. W. Barnes.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH