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shown a striking decrease during the past ten years.
It must be remembered that the number of illegitimate births
is small and that therefore a small number of deaths effects a high
mortality rate and that from such small figures it is dangerous to
draw too definite conclusions, but I am satisfied that there is an
improvement in the care of the illegitimate children in our area.
Venereal Disease.
As regards venereal disease there are no figures available
upon which to constitute a comparison between War and pre-War
years. It is not the practice in Enfield to make a routine blood
or bacteriological test of all expectant mothers for these diseases.
It is only when there are grounds for suspecting their presence
that such tests are advised. A few cases have been diagnosed
at our Ante Natal Clinics but the number is not such as to warrant
the suggestion that in Enfield venereal disease is present to any
extent in our expectant mothers.
The same inference can be drawn from the result of routine
medical inspection of our school children and of the children under
5 years of age who attend at the Welfare Clinics. Realising the
extent of these inspections in Enfield it is possible to draw an
optimistic picture. On the other hand they do not include adults
and adolescents and the factory workers of the District concerning
whom I am unable at this stage to give you any definite information.
Tuberculosis.
I set out below the number of new notifications that have
been received since 1934.