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Metropolitan Borough of Deptford.
Public Health Department,
Deptford Town Hall,
S.E. 14.
11th June, 1936.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Deptford,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my seventh Annual Report upon the
sanitary circumstances, sanitary administration and vital statistics of
the Borough.
The estimated population for statistical purposes was 99,500 and
based upon this figure, the birth and death-rates per 1,000 of the
population were 14.4 and 11.1, compared with 15.8 and 13.1 for the
year 1934.
The infantile mortality rate was 52, and the maternal death-rate
0-7—the latter rate being calculated upon 1,000 total (live and still)
births. Regarding infectious disease the notifications of Scarlet Fever
decreased to 252 —the lowest for many years — the incidence of
Pneumonia, Measles and Whooping Cough was light, while there was
comparative freedom from Influenza.
The routine work of the Sanitary Inspectors was considerably
curtailed by reason of the duties laid upon the Borough Council by the
sections of the Housing Act, 1935, relating to overcrowding. Owing
to the duty of ascertaining the number of houses in which overcrowding
existed, extra staff had to be employed. This, however, still left the
permanent sanitary and clerical staff with greatly increased duties and,
under these circumstances, the figures given in the section of the