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annual report
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1944
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Acton,. W.3.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Acton.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I eg to submit the Annual Report on the health of the Borough
for the year 1944. The Annual Report of the School Medical Service
is given separately at the end.
Dr. Payne, the Medical Officer of Health, has been on active
service during the whole of 1944.
Vital Statistics show that the birth rate in Acton is still
uncreasing— being 18.8 as against 17.9 for 1943. The Infant death
rate has fallen markedly—42.8 as against 62.4 for the previous year
and is lower than the general rate for England and Wales-which is
46 Tables showing the percentage of infants who died during the
first month of life are included in the Report and the causes of death
above that prematurity accounts for more than half of these deaths.
During the year, Circular 20/1944 was received from the
ministry of Health which dealt with special provisions to be made
for premature babies and for special notification of these cases.
The Council agreed to implement all the provisions of the Circular
in so far as this was possible, although provision of a separate bed-
room for mother and child might not always be practicable. As far