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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
- Published
- 1938
- Pages
- 135
- Tables
- 70
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Page 9
Number of Persons Resident in Betiinal Green in Receipt of Out-Relief
Week Ending Men Women Children under 16 Total Persons Total Cases -
Page 13
The Officers of the other hospitals have furnished me with the following statistics concerning their work last year—
Beds No. of new Out-patients Out-patients Attendances No. of In-patients Average duration Inpatient treatment (days) -
Page 22
VITAL STATISTICS LIVE BIRTHS.
Males Females TOTAL Birth Rate -
Page 22
DEATHS.
Males Females TOTAL Death Rate -
Page 22
MATERNAL MORTALITY. Number of women dying in, or in consequence of, childbirth:—
Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births. -
Page 22
INFANT MORTALITY.
Deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 births:— -
Page 23
VITAL STATISTICS of Bethnal Green During 1937 and Previous 5 Years
Year Population Estimated to Middle of EachYear Births Total Deaths Registered in the Borough Transferable Deaths Net Deaths of Persons Resident in the Borough Uncorrected Number Net Of Non-residents registered in the Borough Of Residents not registered in the Borough At all ages Under 1 year of Age Number Birth Rate Number Death Rate Number Rate per 1.000 births or infantile mortality -
Page 26 27
CAUSES OF DEATH at different periods of life in the Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green, 1937
Cause of Death All Ages Number of Deaths of residents at various ages, whether occurring within or without the Borough Under 1 year 1 and under 2 years 2 and under 5 years 5 and under 15 years 15 and under 25 years 25 and under 35 years 35 and under 45 years 45 and under 55 years 55 and under 65 years 65 and under 75 years 75 and upwards[] All causes M 627 41 9 4 7 25 24 37 78 131 140 131 -
Page 28
Comparison with previous years is as follows :—
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Page 30
Infantile Mortality in Bethnal Green in 1937
Causes of Death Under 1 week 1-2 weeks 2-3 weeks 3-4 weeks Total under 4 weeks 4 weeks & under 3 months months & under 6 months 6 months & under 9 months 9 months & under 12 months Total Deaths under 1 year Rate per 1,000 Births -
Page 34
The following table gives some account of the outdoor work of the Health Visitors so far as this can be expressed in statistics :-
V isits Re-visits -
Page 35
The indoor (clinic) work of the Health Visitors is shown in the following figures :—
Sessions attended -
Page 36
The following ratios may be of interest :—
Ante-Natal Clinics Children's Clinics -
Page 36
This is open every Wednesday and Thursday morning.
Particulars of attendances : Total -
Page 38
RECORDS :—
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Page 39
Continued from previous page...
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Page 42
CHILD WELFARE CLINICS.
Cornwall Road Hereford Street -
Page 42
The statistics of attendances at the Centres during 1937, and in previous years are as follows :—
Cornwall Road Hereford Street Total -
Page 42
The numbers of consultations on children seen by the doctors were as follows :—
Cornwall Road Hereford Street Total -
Page 43
Children inspected :
Boys Girls Total -
Page 43
Conditions found on examination :
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Page 44
Continued from previous page...
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Page 47
LIGHT CLINIC.
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Page 47
Analysis of Cases :-
No. of cases Marked Improvement Improved Lapsed Removed from Borough Also Massage having Inhalation -
Page 49
Records of attendances, results and clinical analysis follow :—
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Page 53
The following table shows the cases dealt with during the year:— Nursing Assistance.
Disease Children under five years Mothers Others Total Visits -
Page 55
Routine Medical Inspection of Elementary School Children in Bethnal Green in 1937
Age Groups Number Examined CLOTHING AND BOOTS NUTRITION CLEANLINESS OF HEAD CLEANLINESS OF BODY TEETH VISION Good Fair Poor Good Average Below normal Bad Clean Nits Pediculi Clean Dirty Pediculi All sound Less than 4 decayed 4 or more decayed 6/6 in both eyes 6/9 in either or both eyes 6/12 or worse in either or both eyes -
Page 56
Examination of Elementary School Children in Bethnal Green 1937
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Page 60
Cases of Notifiable Diseases Notified during the Year
Disease Number of Cases Notified Removed to Hospital Reported by † Registrar-General Total Under 1 year 1 and under 2 years 2 and under 3 years 3 and under 4 years 4 and under 5 years 5 and under 10 years 10 ana under 15 years 15 and under 20 years 20 and under 25 years 25 and under 45 years 45 and under 65 years 65 and upwards -
Page 61
VACCINATION The following is the latest available return prepared by the Vaccination Officers for the Borough, respecting the Vaccination of Children whose Births were registered from 1st January to 31st December, 1936, inclusive
Registration Sub-Districts comprised in each Vaccination Officer's District No. of Births from 1st Jan. to 31st Dec. 1936 Number of these Births duly entered by 31st Jan., 1938 No. of Births which on 31st Jan., 1937, remained unentered in the Vaccination Register on account of No. of these births remaining on 31st Jan., 1938, not accounted for Total No. of Certificates of successful Primary Vaccination of children under 14 received during Calendar Year 1937 No of Declarations of Conscientious Objection actually received by Vaccination Officer during the Calendar Year 1937 Success-fully Vacci-nated Insuscept-ible of Vacci-nation Had Small-pox Declara-tion of con-scientious objection received Died Un vacci-nated Postpone-ment by Medical Certificate Removal to Districts, V.O. of which apprised Removal to places un-known and cases not found -
Page 62
The number of deaths from Tuberculosis of all kinds during the past few years is as follows:—
Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Total -
Page 63
Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930 PART I .—SUMMARY OF NOTIFICATIONS during the period from the 1st January, 1937, to the 31st December, 1937, in the area of the Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green.
AGE PERIODS Formal Notification Number of Primary Notification of new cases of tuberculosis Total Notification 0— 1— 5— 10— 15— 20— 25— 35— 45— 55— 65— total (all ages -
Page 63
PART II.-—SUPPLEMENTAL RETURN. —New Cases of Tuberculosis coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health during the above-mentioned period, otherwise than by formal notification.
AGE PERIODS 0— 1— 5— 10— 15— 20— 25- 35— 45— 55— 65— Total -
Page 63
Source of Information No. of cases Pulmonary NonPulmonary -
Page 63
PART III. —NOTIFICATION REGISTER.
Number of cases of Tuberculosis remaining at the 31st December, 1937, on the Register of Notifications kept by the Medical Officer of Health of the Metropolitan Borough Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Total cases Males Femals Total Males Femals Total 435 360 795 210 161 371 1,166 -
Page 64
Tuberculosis Register.
Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Total Males Females Males Females -
Page 70
The table appended gives details of the rooms, bedding and clothing disinfected.
Articles of Clothing, etc., Disinfected by No. of Rooms Disinfected Steam Formalin -
Page 75
The details are given in the following table:— SUMMARY OF ANALYST'S REPORTS.
Article Samples taken formally Samples taken informally No. taken Genuine Adulterated No. taken Genuine Adulterated Total number of samples taken -
Page 76
The rate of adulteration in the Borough for the past ten years was as follows :—
Year No. of Samples examined Percentage of adulteration -
Page 76
The milk adulteration in the Borough for the past ten years was as follows
Year No. of Samples examined Percentage of adulteration -
Page 77
SAMPLES TAKEN INFORMALLY 109 samples were taken informally during the year, 5 of which were found to be adulterated as follows:—
Article No. of Sample Offence -
Page 84
On 20 occasions during the year, unsound food comprising the following articles was surrendered by the owners, examined and destroyed as trade refuse:—
Description of Article. Weight. Tons. cwt. Lb. -
Page 85
SANITARY SUPERVISION OF THE BOROUGH. A Summary of Inspections and Visits, with Matters Outstanding for the 52 weeks ended 1st january, 1938.
Nature of Visit Totals -
Page 86
The following sanitary defects were discovered during the year:—
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Page 90
HOUSING Clearance Areas and Rehousing. In continuation of the record of progress of housing schemes given in last year's report, I furnish the following summary of action taken in 1937:-
Area Houses Pop. Action taken by Borough Council Action taken by London County Council -
Page 91
Continued from previous page...
Area Houses Pop. Action taken by Borough Council Action taken by London County Council -
Page 92
Continued from previous page...
Area Houses Pop. Action taken by Borough Council Action taken by London County Council -
Page 93
The increased tempo of new housing construction can be seen from the following comparative table for the past 10 years :— NEW TENEMENTS.
Completed in Borough Council Provided by London County Council Public Utility Society Other Total -
Page 96
For comparison, the following table, similar to that published in my report for 1936, is given in respect of the overcrowding remaining in the Borough at the end of 1937:—
Degree of overcrowding (expressed in X times the legal standard) Rooms required Total families 2 3 4 5 6 7 -
Page 102
FACTORIES, WORKSHOPS, OUTWORKERS, &c. Inspection of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.
Premises Number of Inspections Written Notices 1 Prosecutions -
Page 102
Defects found in Factories, Workshops and Workplaces.
Particulars Number of Defects Number of Prosecutions Found Remedied Referred to H.M. Inspector -
Page 103
Registered Workshops.
Workshops on the Register (s. 131) at the end of the year Number -
Page 103
Other Matters.
Class Number -
Page 105
HOME WORK
Nature of Work OUTWORKERS' LISTS, SECTION 107 * Outworkers in unwholesome premises, Section 108 Outwork in infected premises, Sections, 109, 110 Lists received from Employers Addresses of Outworkers Notices served on Occupiers as to keeping or sending lists Prosecutions Instances Notices served Prosecutions Instances Orders made (s. 110) Prosecutions (s. 109, 110) Sending twice in the year Sending once in the year Failing to keep or permit inspection of lists Failing to send lists Lists Outworkers Lists Outworkers Received from other Councils Forwarded to other Councils Contractors Workmen Contractors Workmen -
Page 106
Other legal proceedings are summarised in the following list :— Legal Proceedings, 1937.
No. of Sample in Food cases Date Offence or Occasion Result -
Page 107
Continued from previous page...
No. of Sample in Food cases Date Offence or Occasion Result -
Page 108
Continued from previous page...
No. of Sample in Food cases Date Offence or Occasion Result -
Page 117
BOROUGH OF BETHNAL GREEN 1. The Totals of New Cases
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Page 117
2. The Sources of the New Cases
Total Tuberculous -
Page 117
3. The Diagnosis of the New Cases
Diagnosis Adults Children under 15 Total Males Females Males Females -
Page 117
4. Thf. Diagnosis of Contact Cases
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Page 117
5. Sputum Examinations
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Page 117
6. Other Figures
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Page 120
A vital feature of the enquiry is the comparison of the actual expenditure with the minimum expenditure embodied in the British Medical Association's report on " Nutrition " issued in 1933. The following figures will give this comparison at a glance.
Bethnal Green families on milk grants—net income per head after deducting rent Food expenditure, per man-unit Compared with B.M.A. minimum per man-unit (1933 figures, 5/10J adjusted to July, 1937, food prices. 7/1)* -
Page 122
The full extent of the comparison of the Bethnal Green figures with those of a "diet adequate for full health" in Sir John Orr's report on "Food, Health and Income" will be seen in the accompanying table :
Bethnal Green enquiry, per head* d. Sir J. Orr's "Diet adequate for full health," per head* d. -
Page 124
table a EXPENDITURE IN PENCE PER MAN-UNIT
Under 5/- 5/- to 6/3 6/3 to 7/6 7/6 to 10/- Over 10/- Summary -
Page 125
TABLE B COMPARISON OF EXPENDITURE ON PARTICULAR FOODS BETWEEN CERTAIN BETHNAL GREEN FAMILIES AND THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIA TION'S (REVISED) MINIMUM
B.M.A. revised minimum B.G. enquiry Average expen. d. d. -
Page 126
TABLE c TABLE ILLUSTRATING DEPRIVATION OR RARE USE OF CERTAIN FOODS
Under 5/- 5/-to 6/3 6/3 to 7/6 7/6 to 10/- Over 10/- Total % of total families -
Page 127
TABLE D ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF FAMILIES IN ENQUIRY
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Page 130
RENTS Table showing families of varying sizes grouped according to gross income per head, showing average rent paid in each group.
Size of family I Under 5/- II 5/- to 6/3 III 6/3 to 7/6 IV 7/6 to 10/- V 10/- and over