View report page

2
has increased substantially (p. 33). Mass miniature radiography has been continued.
The number of patients needing sanatorium treatment discovered by this means
during the year was 90, compared with 77 in 1945 (p. 36).
The domiciliary midwifery service continued to expand, and, in spite of the
reduction in the population of London, the number of domiciliary confinements was
considerably higher than before the war. The number of institutional confinements
has increased also, but not to the same extent (p. 39).
A feature of the work of the Council's hospitals has been the extension of the
various forms of association with the voluntary hospitals (p. 50). Thanks to the
co-operation of the British Red Cross Society, it was possible to develop considerably
the work of the hospital libraries and to inaugurate a picture library scheme (p. 54).
During the year a number of posts were established for demobilised Service
doctors. Post-graduate refresher courses were held for ex-Service doctors and panel
practitioners (p. 54), and a pharmacists' advisory committee was formed to advise
on matters affecting the pharmaceutical service (p. 53).
Another feature of the year has been the restoration of most of the functions
allocated to the hospital committees before the war (p. 52).
The return of large numbers of children to London during the year involved
a considerable increase in the work of the School Health Service. Despite the difficulties
and shortages, the school children of London appeared to be as healthy as
they were before the war. There was a higher percentage of children whose nutrition
was recorded as excellent, and a lower proportion of children were assessed by the
school doctors to have subnormal nutrition (p. 69). This is a tribute to the
arrangements by which they received special consideration in the rationing schemes.
There was a lower incidence of children with pathological conditions of the ear,
nose and throat, and a smaller proportion of children with dental defects in 1946
than in 1938 (p. 69).
There was a higher proportion of children with normal eyesight in 1946 than
in 1938 (p. 69).
The incidence of heart defects was less than half that recorded in 1938, and
there appeared to be a decrease in the incidence of juvenile rheumatism (p. 70).
The overall incidence of verminous conditions and of scabies was lower in 1946
than in 1938 (p. 71).
The percentage of children referred for treatment who obtained it was higher
than in 1938 (p. 72).
At the request of the Ministry of Health a unit has been established at Sutton
Emergency Hospital for the in-patient treatment of industrial workers suffering
from neuroses (p. 80).
During the year, Miss J. M. Calder was appointed a principal matron, and Dr.
G. Chaikin, divisional medical officer, who had been in charge of school health work
in the east end of London for many years, retired after 37 years' service with the
Council.
It is a pleasure to record that, during the year, the O.B.E. was conferred on Mr.
A. G. Hellman, officer-in-charge, London Ambulance Service; and that the B.E.M.
was awarded to the following members of the staff: Miss P. McCarthy, ambulance
driver, L.A.A.S.; Mrs. M. E. Pegg, auxiliary station officer; Miss A. E. Cook,
domestic assistant, St. Alfege's Hospital; Miss F. Merritt, domestic assistant, Mile
End Hospital.
Population
VITAL STATISTICS
The Registrar-General estimates the civilian population of the county in the
middle of 1946 to have been 3,109,240, compared with 2,601,370 a year earlier. The
corresponding estimates for metropolitan boroughs are shown in table 3 on page 18,
and the rates given in this annual report are calculated upon these figures.