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To the Mayor, Aldermen & Councillors P.H.3.
of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea.
Madam Mayor, Ladies & Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the
health and sanitary conditions of the Borough for 1940. In accordance
with instructions from the Ministry of Health, the report has been
prepared in an abridged form. Complete records of each year's work
are, however, being retained so that a comprehensive report covering
the war period may in due course be available.
The Registrar-General's estimate of the resident
population is 38,700, as against 55,400 in 1939. This marked decrease
arises mainly from conditions of war.
The death rate of 22.0 per 1,000 of estimated civilian
population - as compared with 14.6 in 1939 - is due to deaths from
enemy action.
The health of the population has been good. The
incidence of infectious disease is low, although the risk of such
outbreaks was serious owing to abnormal conditions associated with airraid
shelters. Every effort has? however, been made for the
prevention of disease, including infestation by vermin. The number
of cases of tuberculosis in the Borough was lower than last year.
Sanitary administration of the Borough was satisfactorily
maintained throughout the year, despite the many extra duties thrown
upon the Department as a result of sustained enemy action. These
duties included inspections by the Sanitary Inspectors of f irst-aid
repairs to property, salvaged household effects, billets for homeless
persons and problems arising out of removal and storage of foodstuffs
from bombed premises. Normal house-to-house inspection is
necessarily in abeyance for the duration of hostilities, but all
complaints were investigated and the necessary action taken.
As in former years, close attention was devoted to the
supervision of food supplies.
The Chelsea Health Society continues to render valuable
assistance in connection with Maternity and Child Welfare work, also in
co-operating with the responsible authorities in dealing with the
evacuation of expectant and nursing mothers and young children. In
addition, the Health Visitors undertake the issue and fitting of
respirators to babies and toddlers.
I should like to thank the members of the Council for
the support and sympathetic consideration which have been extended to
me and for their attention to the problems which it has been my duty
to lay before them.
To the staff of the Public Health Department I have also
to express my appreciation of their devotion to duty in maintaining the
service of the department at a high standard.
I am, Madam Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
w.h.l. McCarthy,
Medical Officer of Health.
16th September, 1941.
P . T. 0.
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