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Health Services Department,
Walworth Road,
S.E.17.
November, 1945.
To His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the
year 1944, which in its abridged form is similar to former war-time
reports.
The health of the population generally has been fairly
good, there having been no serious epidemics. During the latter
half of the year, however, the civilian population were once more
called upon to endure the weight of enemy air attack in the form of
flying-bombs and rockets, but whilst the Borough probably did not
suffer to the same degree as some of its immediate neighbours, it
had a goodly share of this new form of attack, which did considerable
damage to houses, the blast effect being much greater than that
formerly experienced with high explosive bombs. In spite of these
trials however the morale of the inhabitants remained good, although
there is no doubt that towards the end of the year people were
beginning to feel worse for wear.
The birth rate shewed an increase over that recorded for
1943, being 19.4 per 1000 population as against 18.3, and was higher
than that for England and Wales and the County of London, the
respective rates being 17.6 and 15.0. The infant mortality rate
shewed a slight increase over the previous year, rising from 49 to
51 per 1000 live births. The general death rate at all ages and
from all causes rose from 18.8 to 21.7 per 1000 population, which was
greater than that for the country as a whole 11.6 and also that for
the County of London 15.7, but it must be remembered that included
in this figure are the deaths of civilians resulting from enemy
action. Although the birth rate is higher than that recorded
pre-war, nevertheless there has been no natural increase in the
population owing to the death rate being still higher.
The statistics in relation to infectious diseases are
low, but it is extremely difficult to assess the value of these
figures or to obtain a true view-point with a floating and diminished
population and with only a few schools functioning. The figures in
respect of the notification of diphtheria are noteworthy in the fact
that there were only 24 cases during the whole year with one death
attributable to this disease. The interesting point is that in all
the cases save four, the children had not been immunised, and vhilst
parents stated that these four children had been immunised during the
time they were evacuated, I have been unable to obtain proof of this
fact, so that it is extremely doubtful if any of the notified cases
had been protected against diphtheria. The number of cases of
scabies remained heavy, but as I forecast in my 1943 report, I felt
that the climax had been reached; this year there was a drop of
nearly 3000 attendances for this condition at the Treatment and
Bathing Station.
The Sanitary Inspectors Department became seriously
depleted in numbers, which unfortunately, it has not been possible
to make good, the Ministry of Health having disapproved of any
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