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Public Health Department,
Deptford Town Hall, S.E.14.
August, 1953.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Deptford.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have pleasure in presenting this my first Annual Report on the health
and sanitary circumstances of the Borough for 1952. The report is in
condensed form in accordance with Ministry of Health Circular
No. 42/1951, dated 10th December, 1951.
Until he left the Council in May, Dr. R. D. Dewar was in charge of
the Department. Although he was in Deptford for only three years,
already he had shown qualities of exceptional merit and I inherited a
staff who held him in the highest esteem.
The population continues to decline but the birth rate is higher and
the death rate lower than last year.
Unfortunately the infantile mortality rate shows a large increase.
Almost all the known factors concerned in infantile mortality are outside
the direct control of this Council, but it should be remembered that in
dealing with a comparatively small number of deaths this mortality
rate may fluctuate over a wide range and too much significance should
not be placed on a figure for one particular year.
Nevertheless, it brings to our notice the fact that infants still die in
considerable numbers and disposes forcibly of the attempt made by
riany people who should know better, to minimise the part played by,
and indeed the need for, the many agencies concerned with infant health
and welfare.
The year was notable for the great fog which enveloped London in
the early days of December and I have enlarged on this incident in the
body of the report.
There were no outbreaks of serious infectious disease. The total
number of infectious diseases fell from 1347 to 1193, and the Borough
was free of Diphtheria, Smallpox and Enteric Fever. There were only
five cases of notified food poisoning and one confirmed case of Infantile
Paralysis. Cases of Dysentery declined from 77 in 1951 to 7 in this year.
Primary notifications of Pulmonary Tuberculosis dropped from 183
to 134 but the preventive and curative work undertaken by the Chest
Clinic at Harton Street was undiminished.
The Department has been handicapped for most of the year by
shortage of Sanitary Inspectors. This has naturally reflected considerably
on the volume of work and duties performed. The deficiency has
necessitated an undue burden being placed on the remaining officers.