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To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Battersea.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I present herewith my report upon the Health and Sanitary
conditions of the Borough during the year 1949.
Vital Statistics.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the population in mid-year
1949 was 117,510, an increase of 1,010 over the estimate for the
previous year. The birth rate was lower and the death rate showed
a slight increase. The infantile mortality rate fell to 25.21 which is
a record low rate for the Borough and compares with a rate of 29 for
the County of London and 32 for England and Wales. The death
rate of illegitimate children during 1949 was 22.73 per 1,000 illegitimate
live births which is also a record low rate.
Infectious Disease.
The health of the inhabitants of the Borough was maintained at
a satisfactory standard. Apart from an outbreak of Poliomyelitis
of similar magnitude to that which occurred in 1947, there was no
serious outbreak of infectious disease. There were only 5 confirmed
cases of Diphtheria and no deaths from this disease during the year.
This compares with 217 notifications and 7 deaths in 1938. There
were 194 cases of Tuberculosis (all forms) notified, a decrease of 19
on the previous year and the deaths from this disease numbered 54,
giving a death rate of 46.0 per 100,000 population. The number of
notifications in 1938 was 194 and the death rate 71.3 per 100,000
population. The incidence of Scabies has decreased considerably,
there being 51 notifications as compared to an average of 481 over
the five year period 1944-48.
Twenty-eight confirmed cases of Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis were
notified during 1949, and 2 cases of Acute Polio-Encephalitis. Of
the total 30 cases, 28 were children under the age of 15 years. There
were 3 deaths. Of the 27 cases discharged from hospital, 3 were
seriously paralysed, 8 had slight paralysis and the remaining 16 showed
no evidence of paralysis.
The deaths from Cancer continue to rise and numbered 37 more
than in the previous year. These deaths constitute 18.9 per cent. of
the total Battersea deaths during the year.
Food Hygiene.
There was no serious outbreak of food poisoning during the year.
The increase in community feeding during the war years and since the
end of the war has emphasised the importance of the careful and
hygienic storage, handling and preparation of food. The common
practice of cooking meat and serving it re-heated the following day,
besides destroying its palatability and possibly its food value, is a
potential source of danger of infection. Further, the holding over
for sale from one day to the next, or even later, of such articles of
food as meat pies, sausage rolls, etc., especially in warm weather, is
fraught with danger and must be condemned. Many firms of repute
have issued instructions that under no circumstances is any stock of
this nature to be carried forward even overnight. It is, of course,
highly desirable that premises where food is stored, handled and pre-