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To His Worship the Mayor, the Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Though I did not take up duty as Acting Medical Officer of Health until 8th October, replacing Dr. Bulman,
Medical Officer of Health of St. Marylebone, who had acted during the period of leave of absence on account of
ill-health granted to Dr. Oates, I willingly accept the responsibility and welcome the opportunity of submitting the
health report for the year 1945.
Speaking generally, from the statistical point of view, despite a number of disturbing conditions and circumstances
—domestic (the changes in Medical Officer of Health for example) and national, the Borough made a not unsatisfactory
showing. There were considerable improvements in certain important directions indeed, the general death rate
declining from 14.92 to 13.69 and the tuberculosis death rate from 0.90 to 0.68 per 1,000 of the population. In the
-case of pulmonary tuberculosis there was a fall, pleasant to record, from 0.82 to 0.59. On the maternity and child
welfare side the figures were less satisfactory, the maternal death rate showing a rise from 1-18 to 3.97 while the rate
of infant mortality remained stationary at 61 per 1,000 births, which is 8 points higher than the 1945 rate (53) for
London as a whole.
In the latter part of the year efforts were made to replace the Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme on the pre-war
foundation. Several additional ante-natal and infant clinics were opened, and massage, foot, dental and other special
clinics established or re-commenced.
Amongst the infectious diseases the only one to assume anything like epidemic proportions was measles, 1,046 cases
being notified. Fuller details with regard to these and other matters will be found in the body of the report.
I wish to thank the Council and, more particularly, the Chairman and members of the Public Health and Maternity
and Child Welfare Committees, for the kindness and consideration consistently shown to me during the period of my
service. I would express appreciation also of the help I have received from the heads of other departments. The
Health and Welfare staffs have done admirable work in the face of difficult circumstances and have rendered the fullest
possible assistance at all times. In addition to Dr. Oates who, for health reasons, resigned on 30th October after over
20 years of valuable work on behalf of the health of Paddington, Mr. Dunning, who had been Chief Clerk of the Department
and one of its mainstays for many years left also, taking with him, as did Dr. Oates, the best wishes of all those
who had known and worked with him.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
Acting Medical Officer of Health.
Public Health Department,
15, Park Place Villas,
Paddington Green, W.2.
18th June, 1946.