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3
As Rheumatic Fever in the young is a cause of heart disease, one
turns with interest to study the numbers of deaths at different age
groups from 5 to 45 years. There is no cause for alarm here. Between
the ages of 45 and 65 there is a steady increase, but this is more likely
to be due to wear and tear. Much attention is now being given to the
subject of Rheumatism.
Formerly, alcohol was a serious factor in the production of heart
disease, and doubtless many cases still arise from over indulgence. On
the whole, people do not drink to excess nowadays.
7. Housing. As usual, this is the most clamant condition with
which we have to deal.
It is gratifying to read in the press that a great housing and slum
clearance scheme is under consideration; it is essential therefore that
our knowledge of this subject as far as the Borough of Deptford is
concerned should be up-to-date, so that our claims may receive early
attention.
To commence with, we have some 800 houses involved in areas
which were "represented" as far back as 1920 under the Housing
Acts. These 800 houses are still standing four-square to the world
and they smirk at me every time I pass them. The areas in question
are known respectively as the Frankham Street, Bronze Street, Baildon
Street and Speedwell Street areas; their demolition is long overdue.
The London County Council has recently demolished 22 houses
in Watergate Street. These have been replaced by Blake House
(17 tenements) and Hawkins House (50 tenements).
In addition to this, the London County Council, within recent
years, has provided houses for 444 Deptford families on the Downham
Estate, and "the full quota of ten per cent. to Deptford has been
provided on the Bellingham Estate."
I feel that, relatively, the County Council has done very well by
us in accordance with the houses they have built, but the Housing
question locally is mainly one of providing for the needs of the many,
many families whose breadwinners can neither afford the time nor the
railway, car or 'bus fares to travel to and from Downham, etc.; nor