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Public Health Department,
Poplar Town Hall, Bow Road, E.3.
23rd December, 1940.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar.
Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
in accordance with the Ministry of Health Circular 2067 (England)
this Report is an abridged interim Report oh the health of the Borough for
the year 1939. Appended will bo found summaries of the principal vital
and other statistics.
The birth and death rates do not call for special comment, but it
is not to be expected that the infant mortality rate, which is the lowest
over recorded in the Borough, is likely to bo maintained.
The expected epidemic of Measles did not occur and the incidence
of other infectious diseases was below normal. At the time of writing,
however, there are indications that Measles is on the increase and it is
probable that in the coming months and under the present conditions of
living in shelters there may be some difficulty in dealing with a largo
number of eases, but with some measure of medical supervision at public
air raid shelters efforts will be made to limit the spread of infection,
and to secure the prompt removal to hospital of cases as they occur.
The general public in this Borough are being encouraged to use
their Anderson shelters, with some degree of success.
There Are no known moans of prophylaxis against some of the
commoner infections such as colds, influenza, measles, scarlet fever and
whooping cough, but against diphtheria artificial immunisation is an almost
certain preventive. Public attention has boon drawn to this by means of
posters exhibited throughout the Borough and it is hoped full advantage
will be taken of the facilities available. General inoculation against
typhoid fever is not advisable at the moment but arrangements are under
consideration for enabling us to offer this means of protection to the
public should circumstances arise which render this action advisable.
Although the normal activities of the Maternity and Child
Welfare section of the Department were seriously interfered with owing to
a large proportion of the staff being allocated to duties at First Aid
posts resulting in the infant welfare and ante-natal centres being closed
temporarily, the more urgent cases were visited in their homos by Health
Visitors.
Once again I wish to thank the members of the council for their
consideration during tho past year and to the officers of other Departments
as well as to members of my own staff I offer sincere thanks for their
loyal co-operation during a vory difficult period.
I am, Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
W. ALLAN YOUNG,
Medical Officer of Health.