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3.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of
the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the work of
the Public Health Department during 1944 in the continued absence of
Dr. C.O.S. Blyth Brooke on military service.
The restrictions previously imposed, on the grounds of national
security, have now been removed and it is possible to give figures
previously witheld. The population figures given in tabular form in
the vital statistics section make interesting reading. It is noteworthy
that the increase in the number of deaths is accounted for by
70 due to violence. As this report has been completed after the end
of the war in 1945 it is possible to say that fuller comment on these
matters is to be embodied in the next Annual Report. Much that has
been hitherto obscure in the war time reports will appear in a new
light, for example the small reduction in the number of tuberculosis
patients compared with a reduction by half of the population, which
suggests that the tuberculous person was unable to afford evacuation
or was in some other way restricted in his or her efforts to leave
London. This question was the subject of a paper in the British
Medical Journal by Sir Allen Daley and Mr. Franklin of the London
County Council some time ago. It is worthy of note that the
Tuberculosis Allowances Scheme which received a warm welcome everywhere,
in spite of its limitations, has continued to operate
satisfactorily. A considerable onus has been put upon the Tuberculosis
Officer. The experience so fur gained augurs well for more comprehansive
schemes covering wider fields. This experience may be summed
up in one word, "Reasonableness". This has been shown, in our
experience, by the Assessment Officer, the Dispensary and Care
Committee Staffs, the London County Council, the Ministry of Health
and not least by the patients and their relatives. The Care Committee
continues to fill, most ably, the gap which legislation has not yet
closed.
During the year co-operation with the London County Council
continued in relation to publicity in the campaign against Venereal
Diseases, the Borough arranging for the display of suitable posters.
The number of illegitimate births was 47 among the 427 births
which occurred during the year, as compared with 24 out of 466 in 1943.
The increase in the illegitimate births has been of concorn during the
war and the Council agreed to participate fully in the proposals put
forward for the Metropolitan area. These are outlined later in the
report but the position is still unsatisfactory in that the supply of
foster mothers is poor and evasion of the law common.
The Ministry of Health suggestions regarding the care of
premature infants were also implemented in the course of the year, as
sot out in the appropriate section of tho report.