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To The Mayor, Aldemen and Councillors of the
Metropolitan Borough of Islington.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the health
of the Borough for the year 1940 on behalf of Dr. G. Clark Trotter
under whose direction the work was carried out.
Dr. Trotter retired in the early part of 194-1 after about
20 years service as Medical Officer of Health to the Metropolitan
Borough of Islington. He therefore directed the work of the Public
Health Department for almost the whole of the interregnum between the
two world wars. Many important local developments in health activities
took place during this period, in particular the development of the
Child Welfare Services, and during more reccnt years, the very
considerable increase in the Council's housing activities, which threw
much additional work and responsibility upon the Medical Officer of
Health and his Department.
Dr. Trotter's courtesy and kindly personal consideration on
all occasions were greatly appreciated by all who came into contact
with him.
During the year under review, the calls of Civil Defence made
many heavy demands upon the staff of the Department here, as elsewhere.
Both the Assistant Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Medical
Officer, as well as many of the Sanitary Inspectors, Health Visitors
and Clerical Staff spent much of their time wrestling with such problems
as First Aid Posts, Stretcher Parties and their depots, Control-room
duties and Shelters.
It was therefore inovitable that some of the normal work should
suffer by delay or temporary suspension of activities, but as will be
observed in the Report, much was done in spite of those difficulties.
It will be noted that the Registrar-General's estimate of
population for mid-year 1940 was approximately 224,000 or 64,000 fewer
than in 1939. The death-rate and total deaths for 1940 show an increase
over the corresponding figures for 1939, mainly accounted for by
increases in the deaths duo to 'Bronchitis' and 'other violent causes'
which latter includes deaths due to enemy action. There was also some
increase in the number of notifications and deaths due to cerebro-spinal
fever.
The Annual Report for 1940 has been drawn up in an abridged
form in accordance with the Instructions of the Ministry of Health.
Your obedient servant,
V. FREEMAN.
Medical Officer of Health.
October 1941.