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1
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 the Annual Report on the Public Health of the
Metropolitan Borough of Islington for the year ended 31st December, 1946.
Although this is an interim report, as in previous years, the opportunity has been
taken, as desired by the Minister of Health, to deal in a little more detail with certain
subjects of current interest. Among these may be mentioned Tuberculosis,
including the Allowances Scheme; progress of diphtheria immunisation; the care
of premature infants and of illegitimate children and the steps taken to combat
infestation.
The year has been a particularly difficult one for effecting necessary sanitary
repairs, owing to deficiencies of essential materials and manpower; and there
were also difficulties in maintaining adequate sanitary supervision, due to the great
increase in the complaints to be dealt with and a temporary deficiency in the
establishment of Sanitary Inspectors.
The year 1946, in spite of the adverse conditions of extensive housing dilapidations
and overcrowding was, in general, a good year in respect of the state of the public
health in the Borough, and a number of favourable records were established upon
which more detailed comment is made in the appropriate sections of the report. It
should be noted, however, that the infant mortality rate is the lowest on record;
the maternal mortality rate is also considerably lower than the average, and for
the first time in Islington's public health history there have been no deaths due to
diphtheria during the whole of the year. Tuberculosis figures are also now no less
favourable than pre-war. A striking feature of 1946 was the great increase in the
number of births and the birth rate, for which it is necessary to go back many
years to find similar rates.
1946 was the first complete post-war year, and there are therefore no deaths
included due to enemy action.
With one exception, all members of the staff who had served in H.M. Forces
returned during the year.
Dr. Katherine M. Hirst was responsible for the work of the Public Health
Department as Acting Medical Officer of Health for the first eight months of the
year, and she was ably assisted by Dr. R. G. Samuel who was appointed Temporary
Medical Officer from the early part of the year until November 1946.
Following the return of members of the clerical staff of the Public Health
Department, a re-organisation scheme was put into effect giving well deserved
opportunities of promotion to members of the staff who were comparatively junior
at the outbreak of the war, and also, it is hoped, increasing the working efficiency
pf the department on the administrative side.