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BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Walworth Eoad, S.E.
Dear Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit the Annual Report of the Borough of Southwark for
the year 1923 dealing with the sanitary conditions and vital statistics of
the Borough.
The year was marked by the loss of the services of Dr. Millson who
had served the Borough and its predecessors for the past thirty-five
years with great ability and success. In July I was appointed as acting
Medical Officer of Health, and permanently appointed by the Council,
and the appointment sanctioned by the Ministry of Health in December.
The Birth Rate for the Borough was 24.3 as against 24 4 for 1922,
the Death Rate was 12.8 as against 15.5 in 1922.
The infantile mortality rate has again considerably decreased from
79 in 1922, to 68 for the present year.
During 1923 the department has also lost through death the services
of Mr. R. H. Goodfellow, Sanitary Inspector for Christchurch and St.
Saviour's Wards, who had been in the service of the Council for 21 years,
and Miss Elliott who for 271/2 years had acted with energy and zeal as
Lady Sanitary Inspector, was also compelled to retire through ill-health.
At the time of going to press these vacancies have not been filled.
The general health of the Borough has been good on the whole,
although Measles was prevalent in a mild form during the latter part of
the year, and owing to the low-lying nature of the laud and the
proximity of the river there is a very heavy incidence and mortality from
bronchial and chest troubles.
During the small pox epidemic a number of cases were visited on
request of practitioners by the Medical Officer including cases in Guy's
and the Evelina Hospitals, but in each case the rash was found to be due,
to chicken pox or to some other skin disease. The services of Dr.
Wanklyn of the London County Council were enlisted in three cases
presenting special difficulties in diagnosis.