View report page

BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Walworth Road, S.E.
Dear Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour of submitting for your consideration my thirtyfifth
Annual Report which deals with the vital statistics and general
sanitary work for the year 1921.
It will be seen that there is a decrease in the birth-rate during the
year of 4 per 1,000. The death-rate is slightly lower than that of last
year.
The infantile mortality rate has very slightly increased owitig to the
great length of a hot summer causing more Epidemic Diarrhoea.
The deaths from Measles were very few, whilst the deaths from
Whooping Cough were nearly the same as those of the previous year.
There has been a general increase in the year 1921 of all notifiable
infectious diseases on those of the previous year, especially in Scarlet
Fever and Diarrhaea.
Primary Pneumonia and Influenzal Pneumonia were responsible for
a large number of deaths.
There has been no diminution in the poverty of our population
during the year. Necessitous children and expectant and nursing motherhave
received free milk to the extent of £3,000 The greatest cars has
been exercised in seeing that the milk is only given to those persons
coming within the scale fixed for necessitous mothers and children by the
Committee having to do with that matter.
The Maternity and Child Welfare work has gone on pretty quietly
increasing throughout the year, although two or three changes have to
be recorded, one, that All Saints' Voluntary Ceutre, through lack of funds,
has been taken over by the Council, and that other Voluntary Centres
have been assisted by small subsidies.
A Dental Clinic for expectant and nursing mothers and children
under five years of age was opened at Lorrimore Hall, Lorrimore Street,
on Septemoer 8th, 1921.
I am sorry to record the death of our very capable Food and Drugs
Inspector, Mr. David, who died on April 18th, 1921.
The work of food inspection at the wharves has considerably increased
during the year, due to the large amount of unsound food dealt
with.
The inspector appointed under the Rats and Mice (Destruction)
Act, 1919, is continuing his work.
I have to thank the Council for their courtesy and support.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient servant,
G. B. MILLSON,
Medical Officer of Ilea ith.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
of the Borough of Southwark.