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5
ventured to predict that we might achieve a rate as low as 50 and
this has now been accomplished. The infantile mortality rate for
London is 75 and for England and "Wales 80.
During the past year the Department has striven hard to carry out
the provisions of the Housing Acts, but these, like all Acts on the subject,
have proved to be difficult in administration. Only one, among the
many schemes for the erection of new dwellings, has matured ; this is
known as the South End Green Scheme and is well advanced. It will
provide 140 flats arranged in 4 blocks. Of the other schemes put
forward, I regret to say, none fructified.
Under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act considerable progress
has been made, and arrangements have been completed for hospital
accommodation for sick children at Northcourt Hospital, situated right
in the midst of our Borough, also convalescent beds at the Catherine
Gladstone Home, Mitcham, for women recovering from recent confinement.
Arrangements have also been made whereby the Borough
Council's Health Visitors will attend at the Centres of the Hampstead
Council of Social Welfare; and the Borough Council's Dental Clinic in
connection with the Pre-Maternity Clinics has been started, and is doing
useful work. Full details of these schemes will be found in Section "E."
the Maternity and Child Welfare Section of this Report.
Although the Annual Report of a Medical Officer of Health is not
of much interest to the majority of the citizens, yet I hold that it is allimporlant
that it should have the widest circulation, and that everything
should be done to engender a popular interest in the subjects with which
it deals, and help to create an enlightened public opinion which shall
support the Sanitary Authority in the realisation of its high responsibility
respecting the health of the Borough and help to secure that co-operation
between the general public and the Sanitary Authority and its Officers
which is essential to success.
I would like to take the opportunity of expressing my thanks to the
Council, especially to the Chairmen and Members of the Public Health,
Housing and Maternity and Child Welfare Committees for the support
and sympathetic consideration they have afforded me.
I desire also to place on record my appreciation of the work of the
Staff of the Department who have at all times accorded me their loyal
and unselfish co-operation.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
FRANK E. SCRASE, Medical Off cer of Health.