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3
27th February, 1948.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Ealing.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the health
of the Borough for 1946, and although I am writing this most of
the work done during the period was actually under the supervision
of my predecessor, Dr. Thomas Orr.
This Report has been somewhat delayed by circumstances
beyond my control, first by the interval between the resignation
of Dr. Orr on 4th December, 1946, and my assuming my duties on
the 27th January, 1947, and secondly by the resignation of the
Deputy Medical Officer, Dr. Cyril G. K. Thompson, on 28th
Febiuary, 1947, on his appointment as Medical Officer of Health of
the Borough of Erith.
The infant mortality rate is probably at the moment the best
index we possess of the social circumstances of an area, and the
rate tends to be high in places where public health services are
poor and where maternal ignorance and neglect are found. It is
with pleasure, therefore, that I can direct your attention to the
rate of 27 for this year. It is the lowest figure on record and is a
great- achievement and reflects well on your Health Services.
The other vital statistics are almost equally satisfactory. The
birth rate continues to rise and is actually higher in Ealing than in
the rest of the country. At 19.7 per thousand of the town's
population it is higher than at any time during the last 26 years.
The total number of births for the year is 3,505, the highest ever
recorded in the Borough, and this figure is, curiously, just twice
the number of deaths (1,799) occurring from all causes in the"
same period of time.
The death rate of 10.1 compares favourably with that of 12.0
for the rest of the country, and it is pleasing to record that there
has been no death from diphtheria during the year.
The abatement of smoke nuisance must be one that has rarely
been raised in this town. However, throughout the country each
year considerable pollution of the atmosphere takes place and it
has been calculated that something in the order of 3,000,000 tons
of solid and tarry matter, including ash, and 5,000,000 tons of
sulphur dioxide are thrown into the air from domestic and industrial
chimneys in this country. The latter is equivalent to about
8,000,000 tons of sulphuric acid, and the effect of this on the incidence
of respiratory disease has yet to be determined and evaluated.
It is calculated that most of this ash is from non-domestic sources