By way of something off the beaten track, here's the report on the health of the Islanders during the occupation, published in 1945, after the war had ended.
There are some interesting counter-intuitive results.
1) The decline in population with less births than deaths was the continuance of a trend which had existed before the Occupation, and looked likely to continue after. While our population, mainly because of net inwards migration, has increased, that trend is still with us today.
2) The corrected death rate (for the demographic during the Occupation) shows no great rise from that which preceded it.
3) The illegitimate birth rate was also in decline in parallel to the general birth rate. Mention should also be made that the number of children with German fathers was only around a 100.
4. Infant mortality was decreasing - again part of a general trend - over the Occupation years.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH: ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1945.
In this, the first post-war annual report, not only will the year 1945 be considered, but also the years of the Occupation, when no reports were published. The year 1945 opened sombrely with the Germans still in occupation and our supplies of food and other essentials at their lowest ebb.
If it had not been for the timely relief brought to the Island by the International Red Cross, famine conditions would have undoubtedly prevailed.
The relief brought in the S.S. Vega tided us over the supply shallows until V.E. day put an end to our troubles with the arrival of our own victorious forces.
The food position in Jersey is dealt with in a separate report: “Survey of the Effects of the Occupation on the Health of the People of Jersey ", and so will not he discussed in detail in this report. But there were many other points of interest outside the scope of that report which can be dealt with here.
In this, the first post-war annual report, not only will the year 1945 be considered, but also the years of the Occupation, when no reports were published. The year 1945 opened sombrely with the Germans still in occupation and our supplies of food and other essentials at their lowest ebb.
If it had not been for the timely relief brought to the Island by the International Red Cross, famine conditions would have undoubtedly prevailed.
The relief brought in the S.S. Vega tided us over the supply shallows until V.E. day put an end to our troubles with the arrival of our own victorious forces.
The food position in Jersey is dealt with in a separate report: “Survey of the Effects of the Occupation on the Health of the People of Jersey ", and so will not he discussed in detail in this report. But there were many other points of interest outside the scope of that report which can be dealt with here.
CHANGES IN POPULATION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND DURING THE OCCUPATION
The estimated population mid-year 1939 was 51,080. The census population July 1940 was 41,101, a loss of, approximately 10,000 between these dates. Many left to join H.M. Forces in the months following the declaration of war, and many left at the general evacuation immediately before the arrival of the German Forces. A very large proportion of those who left were at the young and active ages, leaving the Island with an even larger proportion than usual of the very old and the very young.
This change in age distribution of the population brought about a definite rise in the uncorrected death rate.
During the Occupation there was a marked fall in the birth-rate so that there was an actual loss of population from the excess of deaths over births. In addition, there was the brutal deportation of some 1,200 of the population in 1942, including people of all ages from a few months to 70 years and even some of the weak and sickly.
The estimated population mid-year 1939 was 51,080. The census population July 1940 was 41,101, a loss of, approximately 10,000 between these dates. Many left to join H.M. Forces in the months following the declaration of war, and many left at the general evacuation immediately before the arrival of the German Forces. A very large proportion of those who left were at the young and active ages, leaving the Island with an even larger proportion than usual of the very old and the very young.
This change in age distribution of the population brought about a definite rise in the uncorrected death rate.
During the Occupation there was a marked fall in the birth-rate so that there was an actual loss of population from the excess of deaths over births. In addition, there was the brutal deportation of some 1,200 of the population in 1942, including people of all ages from a few months to 70 years and even some of the weak and sickly.
As a result of these factors, the population fell during the Occupation so that in mid-year 1944 it was 35,955, a further fall of approximately 2,000. The figures from 1943 are actual figures obtained from the Food Control, and indicate ration strength on the dates mentioned. I am greatly obliged to the staff of the Food Control for their courtesy and help on all occasions.
The population at mid-year 1945 shows that even at that early (late the population was swinging back to its old figure, which it has almost attained at the time of writing.
DEATH RATE
The death rate for 1945 and the Occupation years is best studied in the perspective of the rates prevailing since 1930.
The uncorrected and corrected rates for these wars are given in the table below. The correction factor was changed as from 1940 to fit with the changed age and sex distribution which prevailed after that date.
The population at mid-year 1945 shows that even at that early (late the population was swinging back to its old figure, which it has almost attained at the time of writing.
DEATH RATE
The death rate for 1945 and the Occupation years is best studied in the perspective of the rates prevailing since 1930.
The uncorrected and corrected rates for these wars are given in the table below. The correction factor was changed as from 1940 to fit with the changed age and sex distribution which prevailed after that date.
From these figures, it is obvious that it cannot be said that the Occupation had any effect on the death rate. The rise in the uncorrected rate was entirely due to the change in age distribution of the population. Our sufferings during the Occupation were not such as to produce death, though serious enough in other respects.
BIRTH AND MARRIAGE RATE
These two rates will be considered together as obviously they are related, and they both fell heavily during the Occupation.
BIRTH AND MARRIAGE RATE
These two rates will be considered together as obviously they are related, and they both fell heavily during the Occupation.
Last year, 610 deaths were registered, and 475 births - a loss of 135. The rise of the marriage rate to 7 per 1,000 may indicate a return to pre-war conditions, but although the birth rate will probably rise above the very low Occupation level, I doubt very much that it will ever again balance for long our death rate. In this matter it is the crude death rate which must be considered.
There was a slight fall in the birth rate during the First World War, but nothing like so marked in extent. Since 1900 there has been a slow but steady decline in the birth rate, and even before 1940, the excess of birth: over deaths was very small, and indeed, in 1932, the deaths exceeded the births. The effect on our population may for some time be masked by the return of-old residents and immigration
But in the long run it will produce marked changes in the age distribution of our population.
The illegitimate birth rate declined during the Occupation in proportion to the general decline of the birth rate. The actual number of children born to German fathers was in the neighbourhood of 100, a fact which refutes the silly slander about thousands of German babies.
INFANTILE MORTALITY RATE.
This figure represents the number of children who die within the first year of life for each 1,000 births. The figure for 1945 is the lowest on record in Jersey, but as the total number of births each year is very small the figure for any one year is liable to serious chance variation. For this reason, in considering the infantile death rate over a series of years, it is best to average the rate over five year periods. If we do this with the figures since 1913 when the rate was first recorded in Jersey, we can see how great has been the fall in this index.
There was a slight fall in the birth rate during the First World War, but nothing like so marked in extent. Since 1900 there has been a slow but steady decline in the birth rate, and even before 1940, the excess of birth: over deaths was very small, and indeed, in 1932, the deaths exceeded the births. The effect on our population may for some time be masked by the return of-old residents and immigration
But in the long run it will produce marked changes in the age distribution of our population.
The illegitimate birth rate declined during the Occupation in proportion to the general decline of the birth rate. The actual number of children born to German fathers was in the neighbourhood of 100, a fact which refutes the silly slander about thousands of German babies.
INFANTILE MORTALITY RATE.
This figure represents the number of children who die within the first year of life for each 1,000 births. The figure for 1945 is the lowest on record in Jersey, but as the total number of births each year is very small the figure for any one year is liable to serious chance variation. For this reason, in considering the infantile death rate over a series of years, it is best to average the rate over five year periods. If we do this with the figures since 1913 when the rate was first recorded in Jersey, we can see how great has been the fall in this index.
The steady fall in the infant death rate continued unchecked during the Occupation, in spite of the absence of orange juice and the shortage of vitamin C. The causes of this steady fall are the better education of parents, smaller families leading to greater care of the child, greater medical knowledge, and the work of the Infant Welfare Clinic.
Even the most foolish of mothers nowadays does not feed her baby with unsterilized artificial food, so that infantile diarrhoea is almost unknown.
It has been stated (I hope incorrectly) that Sir Truby King said babies were dying because of the large fat globules in Jersey milk. Our babies did not die on it during the Occupation, in fact they flourished exceedingly.
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