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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1942.
The report is again restricted in accordance with
the Ministry of Health Circular 2773 of the 10th March,
1943.
A summary of vital statistics is appended, from
which it will be seen that the general health of the
inhabitants of the Borough has been maintained at a
high standard.
The birth rate is the highest recorded since 1923 and
the number of births the highest ever recorded in this
area. Some reasons for the high rate are—(a) the population
of the Borough is young, (b) the first children
being borne as a result of the high number of marriages
in the first years of the war, (c) the decision of parents
to have children rather than wait an indefinite period
until after the war, (d) the better economic position of
the working population, (e) the large number of husbands
in the Forces stationed in this country, (f) the
return to valuation of family life with less outside
attractions, (g) a decision to rear a child rather than
work in a factory. It is interesting to note in view of
the present day demand for maternity beds that there
was a 50% increase of births in institutions but only a
30% increase of births in private houses.
The infantile mortality rate (32.7) is the lowest ever
recorded in this district and should be compared with
the rate of 111 in 1915 when child welfare first began
in Bexley and the rate of 78 in 1917 the third year of
the last war.
The death rate is the lowest of the war years, and
is low when it is realised that it is calculated upon the
population which does not include the healthiest and
most virile men and women who are now in the Forces.
There are still many preventable deaths and there is no
cause for complacency.
Diphtheria was the cause of two deaths, both in
non-immunised children. Reference to the cycle of epidemics
of this disease would lead one to expect a high
rise in the number of cases by 1942, but this did not
occur and I know of no other cause than that 63% of the
children of the Borough were immunised against diph-
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