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public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Upper Street, N.l,
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the metropolitan Borough of Islington.
I have the honour to submit herewith the Annual Report for 1945, which is
again an interim report.
The general health picture, in so far as it can at present be given,
continues to remain satisfactory and even to present sons encouraging features.
The infant mortality rate of 46 per 1,000 live births for 1943 is the lowest
figure on record for this Borough, A reduction in infant mortality also means a
general reduction in infant morbidity or sickness and it is to be hoped that those
favourable factors (and the improvement in infant health cannot be ascribed to any
one single factor) which have been oonducive to this improvement will continue to
operate in future years. There is no reason to suppose that a further fall in
infantile mortality cannot be effected, and to a degree which perhaps would have
been far beyond our expectations a generation ego.
The campaign gainst Diphtheria continued to go well during the past year
and by the end of the. year it was estimated that 31% of children under the age of
5 and 70% of children over five had been protected against Diphtheria.
Towards the end of 1943 the Borough she red in an Influsnza epidemic of a
moderate severity and reference to which is made in the appropriate section of this
report.
Owing to the demands of women who desired, or were requested by the Ministry
of Labour and National Service, to take up work, War-time Day Nurseries continued
to be opened for the care of their children and by the end of the year 13 Day
Nurseries were in operation. The War-time Nurseries have made a very considerable
addition to the administrative and clerical work of the department with a staff
which has not increased proportionately.
Further developments also referred to in the report are in connection with
the appointment of additional staff to combat Scabies and infestation with body
vermin.
The main feature of the year in connection with Tuberculosis was the
commencement of the ,maintenance Allowances Scheme which is reported upon for the
first time and which necessitated the appointment of a social officer by the
Borough Council to deal with the enquiries and investigations arising out of the
Council is responsibility for the administration of this section of the scheme.
A number of staff changes occurred during the year and the shortage of
clerical staff continued to be a source of chronic anxiety with sub-acute
exacerbations from time to time. I desire to thank all those members of the staff
who, in spite of these difficulties,have carried on and have made possible the
carrying out of the work which is summarised in this report and which in certain
directions has even increased in volume over previous years.
I should again like to thank the Chairmen and Members of the Public Health
and Maternity & Child welfare Committees for their courteous and helpful
consideration of all the matters that were submitted and considered during the year
1943,
V. FSSBMkN
toiedical Officer of Health
October, 1944