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iv
even though the birth-rate may fall, as these children are kept under
observation until they enter school. The Council appointed the Public
Health Committee as the special Committee for Maternity and Child
Welfare, and they formed a Sub-Committee to which four representatives
of other bodies were added. The lady members of the SubCommittee
have taken much interest in the working, visiting regularly
the two Centres under the Council's direct control. Among other
things they consider the circumstances of applicants for the service of
the midwife and for grants of milk, and decide upon the contribution
which should be paid in each case. Extensions of the work have taken
place in various directions—the sub-division of the Pimlico area into
two, the addition of new ante-natal and medical inspection clinics, the
provision of dental treatment for children under five years of age and
for mothers and expectant mothers.
The result of this kind of work has been very encouraging; the
death-rate of young'children has been reduced to half, and it is to be
expected that the improved health obtained will show its effects right
on through adult life, as it is in the first few years that the foundation
of good or bad health is laid. Statistics show that a child born now
has an increased expectation of living eleven years more than if he had
been born twenty years ago.
The year 1920 was generally a healthy one for the whole country,
due probably to the absence of any extremes of heat or cold; but in the
autumn there was a serious amount of scarlet fever and diphtheria.
Considerable anxiety existed throughout the year lest typhus fever and
other zymotic diseases should be introduced into this country from
eastern Europe. Typhus fever transported from Russia into Poland
raged with great severity, and immigrants might easily bring it to
England. A scheme for an international permanent health Committee
was framed by the League of Nationsf and assistance was given to
Poland to cope with the disease. These efforts, coupled with the
vigilance exercised by the Port Sanitary Medical Officers, happily
prevented it gaining a landing in this country. Had it done so the
improved sanitary conditions, and especially the reduction in the
number of persons infested with vermin through which the disease is
spread, would probably have prevented any extensive outbreak of typhus
fever here.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient servant,
FRANCIS J. ALLAN,
Medical OJJiccr of Health.
March, 1921