London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barking 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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19
(b) Unemployment.—The following table is compiled from information kindly
supplied by the Manager of the Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange,
Barking
Copy of comparative statement of local unemployed by industries, as at December, 1935 and December, 1936:—
| Dec. 1935. | Dec. 1936. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men. | Women. | Men. | Women. | |
| Food | 11 | — | 5 | 1 |
| Electrical and Wireless | 10 | — | 7 | — |
| Building Trade and Painters | 234 | 1 | 117 | — |
| Works of Construction | 56 | — | 19 | — |
| Engineering | 39 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| Domestic | 16 | 36 | 16 | 28 |
| Rubber Workers | 25 | 17 | 14 | 11 |
| Commercial | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Road and Water Transport and Seagoing | 77 | — | 56 | — |
| Clothing | 14 | 22 | 10 | 19 |
| Distributive Trades | 32 | 17 | 21 | 17 |
| Government and Professional | 2 | — | 1 | — |
| Tin Box Manufacture | 4 | 10 | 3 | 9 |
| Matches | 10 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| Chemicals | 15 | 7 | 12 | 6 |
| Printing | 7 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Asbestos - | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Woodworking and French Polishing | 9 | — | 11 | — |
| Agriculture | — | — | 2 | 21* |
| General Labourers and Factory Hands | 915 | 134 | 769 | 107 |
| Mineral Water Manufacture | — | 8 | — | 7 |
| Clerical | 14 | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| Leather Trades | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Other Workers | 59 | 17 | 47 | 18 |
| 1,566 | 301 | 1,147 | 256 | |
* Agricultural workers were unregistered in 1935.
Members of the Council have always been interested in any evidence, statistical
or otherwise, that unemployment has exercised any significant influence on the
health or physique of children and adults.
There is no such statistical evidence available in Barking.
I am of the opinion that nutrition in this Country is better now than it has been
for centuries, but I am by no means satisfied with the level we have achieved.
I am concerned with our ignorance of the whole problem of nutrition, and as I have
said elsewhere the subject is so important that those who are doing routine work
this connection must be reinforced by such numbers that some can undertake
actual research work.
A matter which is causing me a little anxiety is the number of cases of Barking
women who come to my notice, in whose blood the amount of red colouring matter
is significantly below what it ought to be.