View report page

Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Upper Street, N.1.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington:
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the Public Health
of the Metropolitan Borough of Islington for the year ended 31st December 1945.
It is again an interim report as have been previous Annual Reports
since 1939.
During the greater part of this year from April 1945, Dr .Katherine M.
Hirst, Deputy Medical Officer of Health, was responsible for the work of the
Department as Acting Medical Officer of Health during my absence with
H.M. Forces. Dr,Hirst was assisted by Dr .Mabol Brodio, who left at the end
of 1945 to return to Malay.
The year 1945 was in many respects a good one from the Public Health
angle. The infant mortality rate at 46 per thousand live births equalled the
lowest recorded in 1943, and the death rate at 14.59 per thousand population
was the lowest since 1939.
There was only one death ascribed to maternity causes during the year
giving a rats of 0.26 per thousand births which is by far the lowest recorded
rate, but it would be unwise to expect a similar rate in the immediate future.
The number of notified diphtheria cases have continued to diminish
gradually and during the year there were three deaths from this disease in
young children not immunised. The only epidemic which might be said to have
occurred during the year was Measles, with almost a threefold increase in
notifications over 1944. Generally speaking the cases were not severe and
only two deaths were ascribed to measles.
A special feature of the campaign against Diphtheria in 1945 was the
Mobile Clinic referred to in the Report, which brought the Immunisation
Clinic to the homo during the summer months. This venture proved very
successful, and also succeeded in drawing the attention of the public
generally to the immunisation campaign.
Attention is particularly drawn to that section of the report dealing
with Maternity and Child Welfare services in which is mentioned a major change
which occurred during the year in the administration of these services, the
Borough Council becoming directly responsible for the employment of all health
visitors and the assumption by the Borough Council of direct responsibility
for the South Islington Welfare Centre, hitherto a Voluntary Centre since its
inception.
In view of the ending of hostilities in 1945, the opportunity is
taken hero to make a few very bri6f and incomplete references to the part
played by the Civil Defence Casualty Services during the whole period of the
war.
The Public Health Department, through its permanent medical,
clerical, sanitary inspector and health visitor staff, and with enrolled
Civil Defence personnel, whole-time and part-time numbering close on 1,000
in the early part of the war, was given the responsibility for casualty
services and supervision of shelter health. First Aid Posts, Mobile First
Aid Units, Light Rescue Party Depots, and Shelter Medical Aid Posts were
established. Close liaison was maintained with hospitals receiving
casualties in the area.