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9
Public Health Department,
Blue Star House,
234/244 Stockwell Road,
S.W.9.
Tel: BRIxton 7755
July 1963.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Lambeth
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the year 1962 on the
health of the Borough of Lambeth.
The Registrar-General's estimated mid-year population for the Borough
is 223,370 a decrease of 373 on the population as recorded in the 1961
census, a report on which was published in 1963. Some points from the
census are included in the main body of this report.
The number of live births increased and the proportion of illegitimate
births has risen to 17.3% of the total. This figure probably reflects to some
extent the fact that women from outside London come to the anonymity of
the metropolis to have their babies in one of the several maternity hospitals
in the Borough. Normally these births would be transferred to the home
address of the mother, but where this is not known then the births are
recorded in the Borough.
There is no doubt however that there is a real increase in illegitimacy
the causes of which are to be sought in such things as the changing
attitudes towards sex, the earlier physical maturity of youth today without
Corresponding emotional maturity and to some degree lack of parental
control. These factors also account for the increase of venereal disease
which has occurred in the past few years.
At the beginning of the year several cases of smallpox occurred in
various parts of the Country, mostly arriving by air from Pakistan. No cases
occurred in the Borough but a number of contacts were kept under surveillance
until it was considered there was no risk of their developing the
disease.
There was widespread demand for vaccination and the London County
Council made clinic facilities available to all who requested vaccination.
Work amongst the elderly continues to expand and an account of planned
new services is to be found in the report of the Lambeth Old People's
Welfare Association which is included in the body of this report.