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mild with no deaths. From home isolated cases there
were less than 2% of return cases, as against over 5%
from Hospital isolated cases.
Inoculation against Whooping Cough was continued
and appears to be justifying the campaign as only 9
children of the 2891 inoculated since the scheme began
in July, 1942, have contracted the disease.
The influenza epidemic at the end of the year was
mild and Bexley appeared to come off very lightly so far
as deaths were concerned. The assistance of Voluntary
Organisations was freely given in a Scheme organised to
give domestic and nursing assistance and to assist with
shopping where the adults of a household were incapacitated.
The Ministry of Health gave stimulus to the Home
Help Scheme during the year and the scheme suggested
was substantially the same as had been in operation in
the Borough since 1936, but with a 50% increase in
applications and the inability of the Ministry of Labour
to find suitable persons to act as Home Helps, the local
service has not been easy to maintain. The scheme is
restricted by legislation to homes in which there is a
nursing or expectant mother or child under the age of
five, but there are many homes where domestic assistance
is urgently required outside the restriction, but
we are unable to help.
With the increase in illegitimate births the suggestions
of the Ministry of Health to make provision for
the mother and her child have been put into operation
so far as they are applicable, and arrangements sought
with the County Council where joint efforts would be
more applicable and economical, for example, in residential
nursery accommodation not only for the illegitimate
child but for children whose mothers need to be admitted
to hospital; the only accommodation in this part of
the county is very limited and supplied by the Public
Assistance Committee. The services of the Rochester
Diocesan Council in the provision of hostels has been
appreciated and arrangements made for contributions
per case. The rise in illegitimacy should not necessarily
be attributed to a lowering of moral standards, but it
must be appreciated that opportunity for marriage to
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