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Larger reductions have taken place in the wards where the poorer sections of the population live
(Carlton, Kilburn and Willesden Green), as compared with the wards where the better.class population live
(Brondesbury Park, Mapesbury and Cricklewood).
It has been suggested that the infant mortality rate is correlated with the number of health visitors in
an area, and the reduction in the rate is more marked in areas where there is a greater number of health visitors.
There is no appreciable difference in the number of health visitors employed in the various wards, nor in the
number of attendances made by the mothers to the welfare clinics. The reduction in the rate is probably due
largely to the improved nutrition of the mothers, and consequently there has been more scope for betterment
in the poorer sections of the population where malnutrition has been more prevalent.
(d) The Infant Mortality Rate for Illegitimate Children
The infant mortality rate for illegitimate children was 26.88 per thousand illegitimate live births, which
was only slightly higher than the infant mortality rate for legitimate infants (23.3).
Special facilities are given for the admission of babies to day nurseries, where they receive special care.
In addition, a home to accommodate twelve homeless mothers with their illegitimate children has recently been
opened by the Middlesex County Council at 167, Willesden Lane.
GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY SERVICE
The work in connection with the examination of specimens, which for some years has been carried out
by the local authority at Willesden Municipal Hospital, is now undertaken "by the Public Health Laboratory
Service at the Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, N.W.9, and at their branch laboratory,
which was opened in August, 1947, at the Neasden Hospital, Brentfield Road, N.W.10.
Specimens such as swabs for sore throats, faeces from any suspected intestinal infection, sputum and postnasal
swabs from children with suspected whooping cough are delivered by private practitioners direct to the
branch laboratory at the Neasden Hospital or to the Health Department, 54, Winchester Avenue, N.W.6, or
the Willesden Health Centre, 381, High Road, Willesden, N.W.10, for collection and transfer to the laboratory.
A presumptive report, which is likely to be of value to the private practitioner in the diagnosis and
treatment of the patient, is telephoned to the practitioner on the morning after receipt of the specimen, and a
written report follows within the next day or so.
Samples of milk taken by the Sanitary Inspectors from dealers in the district are also forwarded to the
laboratory for examination. During the year 1948, the following work was undertaken at the laboratory:
Throat Nose Swabs:
Diphtheria Bacilli 15
Haemolytic Streptococci 266
Vincent's Angina 3
Negative 995
Total 1,279