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ANNUAL PE PORT OF THE MF.DTOAL OFFIOKR OF HiiALTH
FOR 1950
Public Health Department,
2, Shalston Villos,
Surbiton.
August, 1951.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Surbiton.
Ladies end Gentlemen,
I am presenting my 29th Annual Report for Surbiton. Owing
to alterations submitted by the Ministry concerning the description
of certain diseases there may be some difficulty for lay people in
comparing the statistics for 1950 with previous years.
As usual the Senior Sanitary Inspector's report is
attached.
Vital Statistics:
The population as estimated by the Registrar General for
1950 is 61,230, an increase of 1120, and on this figure all the
calculation of vital statistics is based.
Live births:
The total number of births (male and female) for 1950 was
836 with a rate of 13.65 as compared with 892 and 14-83 for 1949-
The cause of the lower birth rate is probably due to
economic reasons and to the want of suitable living accommodation.
Deaths:
The number of deaths recorded in 1950 was 605 with a death
rate of 9.88 as compared with 574 and 9.54 for 1949. The natural
increase was 231.
Infant Mortality.
The number of such deaths was 22 giving a rate per 1,000
live births of 26.31 as compared with 21 and 23.54 for 1949. This
rate is the highest since 1945* The figures given in brackets denote
the rate for the previous year.
Housing;
During the year 454 units of accommodation were provided.
For sub-division please refer to page 4. This shows a great increase
on the number of units of accommodation for 1950 and does help to
relieve the congestion, although it is very significant that only 9&
have been erected by Surbiton as against 118 in 1949, but there was3
jump from 49 to 228 by other local authorities.
There is still a large proportion of young married coupleand
others who require accommodation as shown from the number of
complaints received and appeals for rehousing.
Although there may be only a few isolated cases of
overcrowding many people are living in an overcrowded and undesirable
state from a health standpoint, and are forced to share rooms in a .
house which was not intended for this purpose, namely insufficient W.C.
bathroom and kitchen accommodation, and this almost inevitably leads
to diasension.
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