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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
Greenwich 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
- Published
- 1953
- Pages
- 138
- Tables
- 82
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Page 8
General Statistics Elevation.—Varies from below high-water mark up to 249 feet above sea level.
Area of the Borough and Districts— -
Page 9
PUBLIC OPEN SPACES.
Borough Council— -
Page 12
*EXTRACTS FROM VITAL STATISTICS OF THE YEAR. LIVE BIRTHS
Legitimate Illegitimate Total -
Page 13
The following table shows these particulars giving the number of marriages in the Borough for each year since 1938:—
Year Churches of England Chapels and Roman Catholic Churches Superintendent-Registrar's Office Total Approximate Population Greenwich Charlton and Kidbrooke St. Nicholas -
Page 15
The following table gives, by districts, the number of registrations of Greenwich Births during the current year:—
Source of Information DISTRICT Total Greenwich Births East West St. Nicholas Charlton & Kidbrooke -
Page -
The inset table showing the causes of deatths at all ages has been supplied by the Registeae-Geneal and is included in accordance with the Ministey of Health's request.
No. in Short List. Causes of Death Deaths at subjoined Ages of " Residents," whether occurring within or without the District. Sex All Ages. Under 1. 1 find under 5. 5 and under 15. 15 and under 25. 25 and under 45. 45 and under 65. 65 and under 75. 75 and over. -
Page 17
The following table compares the average number of deaths of Greenwich residents in Public Institutions during the previous ten years with those of the current year :—
Year Total Deaths of Greenwich Residents Total Deaths of Greenwich Residents in Public Institutions. -
Page 17
The age mortality and the distribution of the deaths between the different quarters of the year are shown by the following table:—
Deaths 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter Total -
Page 18
Deaths in the age group 0-5 years show an even more striking comparison: in 1901 the deaths in this group amounted to 37.4% whilst the figure for the current year is 2.3%.
Age Group 1901 1911 1921 1931 1952 -
Page 18
During the year, the following 3 deaths were recorded as being attributable to Puerperal causes :—
Age Cause -
Page 19
The deaths of the 19 infants were attributed to the following causes :—
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Page 20
The following table shows the comparative Infantile Mortality Rate for the quinquennial periods since 1931, together with the Rate for 1952:—
District Average for five years 1931-193;', Average for five years 1936-1940 Average for five years 1941-1945 Average for five years 1946-1950 Year 1952 -
Page 22
Current figures throw into relief the remarkable improvement in the Tuberculosis situation in the Borough during the past 10 years. Deaths from Tuberculosis are exactly one-half and the rate is one third of the corresponding figures for 1942 as the following table will indicate :—
Year No. of Deaths Rate -
Page 23
Comparing the currcnt year's figures with those of 1950 and 1951, the sites of the affected parts were :—
1950 1951 1952 -
Page 24
In recent years, there has been a tendency for cancer of the lung to increase and the following table has again been included in order that this trend may be studied :— DEATHS FROM CANCER OF LUNG (including Bronchiogenic Carcinoma)
Year AGE GROUPS Rate per 1,000 Pop. 25 and under 45 yrs. 45 and under 65 yrs. 65 and under 75 yrs. 75 and upwards Totals Grand Totals M F M F M F M F M F -
Page 27
In addition, the following details of vitamin products distri buted throughout the Borough from the Food Office and Welfare Centres during 1952 have been obtained from the returns issued by the London and South East Regional Food Office:—
Vitamin Product 1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Whole Year -
Page 28
Health Visitors' Records, Attendances at Infant Welfare Sessions, Prophylaxis figures, etc. 1. Health Visiting
Quarter Expectant Mothers Premature Babies Still-Births Infants (under 1 year) Children 1—5 years Infantile Diseases Home Helps Miscellaneous Unsuccessful Total Visits 1st visit Revisit 1st visit Revisit 1st visit Revisit 1st visit Re- visit 1st visit Revisit 1st visit Revisit -
Page 28
2. Infant Welfare Clinics (a) Attendances at Infant Welfare Clinics
Quarter Sessions Attendances 0-1 year 1-2 years 2-5 years 1st Total 1st Total 1st Total -
Page 29
(b) Attendances at Special Toddlers Clinics
Quarter Sessions Total Attendances Medically Examined Found to require Treatment -
Page 29
[c) Attendances at Ante and Post Natal Clinics
Sessions Attendances First Total Quarter M.O. Midwife Ante-Natal (current pregnancy) Post-Natal Ante-Natal Post-Natal M.O. Midwife -
Page 30
(d) Attendances at Ante and Post Natal Exercise Classes
Quarter Sessions Attendances First Total -
Page 30
(e) Attendances at Children's Exercise Classes
Quarter Sessions Attendances First Total -
Page 30
3. Sunlight Treatment Attendances at Artificial Sunlight Centres
Quarter Sessions Attendances First Total -
Page 30
4. Chiropody Treatment Attendances at Foot Clinics
Quarter Sessions Attendances First Total -
Page 32
Particulars relating to the local Health Services throughout the Borough are given below:—
INFANT WELFARE CLINICS DAY A.M. P.M. -
Page 32
ANTE & POST NATAL CLINICS Note : (a) Doctor in attendance (b) Midwife in attendance
-
Page 33
ARTIFICIAL SUNLIGHT TREATMENT
DAY A.M. P.M. -
Page 33
FOOT CLINICS (2/6 per treatment—by appointment only)
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Page 33
IMMUNISATION AND VACCINATION CLINICS
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Page 34
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Page 34
DENTAL CLINIC
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Page 34
WOMEN'S SPECIAL CLINIC (Family Planning Association)
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Page 34
MINOR AILMENTS CENTRES (for School Children)
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Page 35
SPEECH THERAPY (for School Children)
DAY A.M. P.M. -
Page 37
FACTORIES ACT 1937 Inspections for purposes of provisions as to health.
Premises Number on Register Number of Inspections Written notices Occupiers prosecuted -
Page 38
Cases in which defects were found.
Particulars Number of cases in which defects were found Number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted Found Remedied Referred To H.M. Inspector By H.M. Inspector -
Page 38
Outwork—(Sections 110 and 111)
Nature of Work Section 110 Section 111 No. of out-workers in August list required by Sect. 110(1) (c) No. of cases of default in sending list to the Council No. of prosecutions for failure to supply lists No. of instances of work in unwholesome premises Notices served Prosecutions -
Page 44
TABLE I.—Rainfall, Monthly Deposit in Tons per Square Mile and Sulphur Dioxide by the Lead-Peroxide Method.
Month & Year Rainfall Insoluble Deposit Soluble Deposit Total Solids SOs mg./day/1OO cm2 of Batch A Lead Peroxide mm. colspan="3"h>tons per square mile -
Page 45
TABLE II—Rainfall and Deposited Matter (Deposited Matter in tons per square mile per month)
Dec. 1951 Dec. 1952 -
Page 48
TABLE III.—A Comparison of Weekly Mean Concentrations of Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide during 1952 with Similar Periods during 1951
Smoke mg /100m3 Week Ending Sulphur Dioxide p.p. 100 million 1951 1952 increase or decrease over 1951 1951 1952 increase or decrease over 1951 -
Page 49
TABLE IV.—A Comparison of Deaths from Various Causes Registered during the 2 weeks following the ' Smog ' with a 13 week Control Period in 1951. (Figures in Parenthesis refer to Greenwich Residents.)
Cause of Death Period Week Ended 13.12.52 Week Ended 20.12.52 Control Period of 13 weeks 1.11.51 to 31.1.52 -
Page 60
Type of Property Local Authority Dwelling Houses Agricultural All other (includg. Business & Industrial) Total -
Page 61
Baiting of Sewers.—The Borough Engineer has kindly supplied me with the undermentioned information of the treatments carried out in the Council's sewers in connection with the scheme:—
Details Date of Treatment 1st to 19th Dec., 1952 26th May to 16th June, 1952 -
Page 63
I am indebted to Mr. K. L. Embley, Superintendent Engineer, for the following statistics :— Attendances.—For the year ended 31st December, 1952:—
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Page 64
A Summary of the Bacteriological Samples taken during the year, with the results of the examinations, is given in the following tables, particulars of which were communicated to the Adoptive Acts Committee and the Baths Superintendent at the time of receipt of the Reports:—
Sample No. Date & Time Nature & Temperature No. of Bathers Plato Count per ml. Yea- stral Agar 2 days 37°C. Probable No. of Coliform bacilli. MaeConkey 2 days 37°C. Result -
Page 65
Particulars of Public Sanitary Conveniences in the Borough
Convenience MEN WOMEN HOURS W.C.'s Lavatory basins Urinal stalls W.C.'s Lavatory basins -
Page 66
Free hand-washing facilities, introduced in the interests of Public Health during 1951, were continued with marked success during the year and the following table gives an indication of the use made of these facilities:—
Convenience Men Women Total -
Page 70
Great reliance is placed on the Lady Sanitary Inspector by the elderly of the Borough and the following is a summary of the work performed by her during the year 1952:—
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Page 72
Summary of Work Performed by the Sanitary Inspectors during the Year 1952
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Page 73
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Page 74
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Page 74
Legal Proceedings
Premises Offence Result of Proceedings -
Page 76
The following table compares the number of dwellings erected since 1945 with the marriages solemnised during the same period:—
(a) New units of accommodation erected since 1945 up to: — (a) Marriages since 1945 (c) Difference between (a) and (b) -
Page 78
It can be seen by the figures in the following table that there has been a definite decline since 1945 in the number of families found to be living in overcrowded conditions in the Borough:—
Year No. of cases of overcrowding reported -
Page 78
New Housing Accommodation.—The following table lists the new dwellings erected in the Borough during 1952:—
Type of Dwelling G.B.C. L.C.C Private Total -
Page 79
Determined efforts by the Council to overcome the lack of housing accommodation in the Borough is shown by the following table, which gives an indication of the dwellings in the course of construction at the end of the current year:—
Site Dwellings -
Page 79
Whilst perhaps not finally confirmed, the following additions and extensions have been envisaged by the Council:—
Site Dwellings -
Page 86
premises are outside. The following licences had been granted and were in force on the 31st December, 1952:—
Principal Licences Licences issued In Operation 31. 12. 52. -
Page 88
The grading is based on the results of the Methylene Blue Reductase Test and a summary of the year's reports is given below:—
Samples taken Time taken to Reduce Methylene Blue Provisional Grade Observations -
Page 88
Food Rejected.—The following table is a summary of unsound food voluntarily surrendered during the year under the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, Section 180 (8), most of which was processed and used for animal feeding:—
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Page 89
Other Foods—
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Page 91
The following foods were rejected at the wharves:—
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Page 91
It is worthy of note that although more than 92,000 carcases, etc., of meat were landed none was rejected as a result of Caseous Lymphadenitis.
Landed Examined Rejected Weight -
Page 93
The following table is a statistical record of the major portion of the duties performed and inspections undertaken during the year by the Food Inspectors.
Premises Inspected or Visits Made. No. of Visits No. of Improvements effected. -
Page 94
As a result of 567 visits of inspection to the catering establishments, insanitary conditions were remedied in 70 instances and the following summary indicates the type of improvements carried out:—
Type of Improvement Effected Total No. -
Page 96
Information concerning the analyses of these samples is given in the following table:—
Article How Obtained Examination Action Taken Bact. or Chem. Result -
Page 98
FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1938 Number and Description of Samples Submitted for Analysis under the above Act during the year 1952
Article Number Examined Number Adulterated, &c. Formal Informal Total Formal Informal Total -
Page 99
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Article Number Examined Number Adulterated, &c. Formal Informal Total Formal Informal Total -
Page 100
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Article Number Examined Number Adulterated. &c. Formal Informal Total Formal Informal Total -
Page 101
Administrative Action Taken in Regard to Samples Reported to be NOT GENUINE
Sample No. Article Nature of adulteration and/or irregularity Action taken -
Page 102
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Sample No. Article Nature of adulteration and/or irregularity Action taken -
Page 109
The following table gives the distribution:—
District Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Total -
Page 109
The following tabel gives the distribution.
PULMONARY NON-PULMONARY Men Women Children Total Men Women Children Total M F M F -
Page 110
PUBLIC HEALTH (TUBERCULOSIS) REGULATIONS, 1952 Part I.—Summary of notifications of Tuberculosis during the period from the 1st January, 1952, to the 31st December, 1952.
Age Periods Formal Notifications Number of Primary Notifications of new cases of tuberculosis 0— 1— 2— 5— 10— 15— 20— 25— 35— 45— 55— 65— 75— Total (all ages) -
Page 110
Part II- new cases of Tuberculosis to the knowledge of the Medical of health during the above-mentioned period,otherwise then by formal notification.
Source or Information Number of cases in age Groups 0— 1— 2— 5— 10— 15— 20— 25— 35— 45— 55— 65— | 75— Total -
Page 111
Treatment for all cases is carried out at the Tunnel Avenue Cleansing Station and the following Return summarises the work carried out during the year:—
Attendances Vermin Scabies -
Page 112
Rooms and Articles Disinfected, Year ended December, 1952
Diseases, etc. Premises Entered Booms Beds Mattresses Bolsters Pillows Sheets Blankets Eiderdowns Cushions Quilts Odd Articles Wearing Apparel Rugs and Mats Covers Total No. of Articles Disinfected -
Page 113
At the end of 1952 there were 895 patients on the Chest Clinic Register consisting of:—
Pulmonary Tuberculosis Non-pulmonary Tuberculosis Men Women Children Men Women Children -
Page 114
General Statistics.
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Page -
INFANTILE MORTALITY DURING THE YEAR 1952 Deaths from stated Causes in Weeks and Months under 1 Year of Age.
Cause of Death. Under 1 week. 1—2 Weeks. 2—3 Weeks. 3—4 Weeks. Total under 1 Month. 1—3 Months. 3—6 Months. 6—9 Months. | 9—12 Months. Total Deaths under One Year. -
Page -
CASES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE notified during the Year ended 31st December, 1952.
Notifiable Disease Casks Notified in Whole District Total Cases Notified in each Locality No. of Cases removed to Hospital from each Locality Total Age & Sex Group At all Ages 0 to 1 1 to 3 3 to 5 5 to 10 10 to 15 15 to 25 25 to 45 45 to 65 65 and over Greenwich East Greenwich West St. .Nicholas Charlton and Kidbrooke Greenwich East Greenwich West St. Nicholas Charlton and Kidbrooke M F M F M F m F M F M F M F M F M F M F -
Page -
CAUSES OF, AND AGES AT, DEATH, during the year ended 31st December, 1952.
No. in Short List Causes of Death. Deaths at Subjoined ages of "Residents" whether occurring within or without the District Deaths at all Ages of "Residents" belonging to Localities, whether occurring in or beyond the District Deaths of "Residents" in Public Institutions Total Deaths whether of "Residents" or "Non-Residents" in Public Institutions in the District AH Ages Under 1 1 and under 2 2 and under 5 5 and under 15 15 and under 25 25 and under 45 45 and under 65 65 and under 75 75 and upwards Greenwich East Greenwich West St. Nicholas, Deptford Charlton and Kidbrooke St. Alfece's Hospital Seamen's Hospital Miller Hospital Herbert Military Hospital Brook Hospital Other Institutions Outside Institutions Under 4 mths. 4 mths. and und« r 1 yr.