View report page

4
On the other hand however there are some diseases which have
shown an increase, notably poliomyelitis and food poisoning
amongst the infectious diseases, and cancer, coronary heart
disease and peptic ulcer amongst the non-infectious.
Whilst on the subject of infectious disease it is interesting
to read the reports of the Medical Officer of Health on smallpox
epidemics which occurred in 1871 and 1876 in the former there
were 937 deaths and in the latter 371 deaths from this disease
in the parish. All of these however were not from Lambeth but
included persons from other districts who died in Stockwell
Hospital. The last recorded case of smallpox in the borough was
in 1934 but the rapidity of modern travel is such that a person
could get from any part of the world to any other well within
the incubation period of the disease. It therefore is essential
that the vaccinial state of the population should be kept at a
high level which is. unfortunately, not the case.
Infant mortality which is regarded as a reliable index of the
health of a community has shown a remarkable fall over the years.
In 1876,the year in which it was first recorded.it was 150 per
1,000 live births. Even in 1906 it was still 121 whereas in 1956
it was only 21.2.
Until the end of the 19th century the reports of the Medical
Officer of Health were confined to vital statistics, epidemic
diseases and the improvement of environmental conditions. In
1899, however a bacteriological laboratory was set up for the
examination of specimens submitted by general practitioners.
In 1901 a female sanitary insoector was appointed to be followed
in 1906 by a female health visitor.
A milk depot was established in 1904 despite a veto on a
similar scheme in the previous year by the Local Government
Board, and with the knowledge that the District Auditor would
probably disallow the project and surcharge to the Council. Prom
this small beginning the Lambeth Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme grew and had atone time the equivalent of fifteen welfare
centres, a maternity hospital and later nine nurseries.
Upon the coming into force of the National Health Service Act
on the 5th July, 1948, these services were handed over with
administrative staff to the London county Council and many felt
that the work of the public health departments of sanitary
authorities would be curtailed as a result. At first this may
have been so but the increasing interest of local authorities
in the welfare of the aged, and new legislation on clean food
and clean air have resulted in an expansion of the work of the
department.
During the year the Council decided to apnoint an officer to
the staff of the department to help with the work among the aged