London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Croydon 1923

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

This page requires JavaScript

37
Mothers' and Infants' Welfare Association to that of the Corporation.
The latter appointed a fourth health visitor for maternity and
child welfare work in 1919, and a fifth and sixth in 1920. By the
time that six health visitors had been appointed for this work, the
staff previously engaged both in maternity and child welfare and in
school medical and infectious disease work, ceased to undertake
duties in connection with maternity and child welfare.
In 1914 the Municipal Infant Welfare Centre was opened. In
1916 the following five centres were opened by the Croydon
Mothers' and Infants' Welfare Association : Central (Sylverdale
Road); East Croydon ; St. Alban's (Thornton Heath); South Croydon
; South Norwood. In 1917 the West Croydon Centre was
opened; and in 1918 the three Centres at Woodside, Grange Hall
(now St. Paul's Hall, Thornton Heath), and Upper Norwood.
St. Mary's Maternity Hostel was opened, with an accommodation
of 7 beds, in 1917 at 75, Croydon Grove, and in 1918 was
transferred to its present quarters in St. James' Road and enlarged
to contain 17 beds.

Total Death Rates During Infancy, Early Childhood and the School Period.

Age 0—1 years.Age 1—5 years.Age 5—15 years.
Years.Deaths.Births.Death Rate per 1000 Births-Deaths.Population of same ages.Death Rate per 1000 population at this age.Deaths.Population of same ages.Death Rate per 1000 population at this age.General Death Rate, all ages.
1901-5221818,543119.682358,76014.0308140,4002. 213.5
1906- 10189819,61896.784566,73512. 7382157,0002.412.5
1911-15168719,20887.877177,772*9.9414169,8752. 412.0
1916-21149520,07074.469474,980*9.3554213,5162.512.1

*The populations at ages 0.1 were affected by the war, but can readily be ascertained
by calculations from registered births and deaths under 1. The population
1-5 years was calculated as follows :—For 1912-14, on t.he assumption that
the rate of increase for the period 1901-11 continued; for the period 1915-21, on
the assumption that the decrease from 15,260 in 1914 to 10,760 in 1921 occurred
evenly throughout these years.
It is evident from the above table that among infants and
voung children under the age of 5 there has been a large decrease
in the death-rate during the 21 years—a decrease in the former to
62 per cent., and in the latter to 66 per cent, of the corresponding