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1
Public Offices,
Enfield, Middx.
23rd June, 1942.
Annual Report of the Medical
Officer of Health, 1941.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council
of Enfield.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to place before you my Annual Report for the year 1941.
This was a year during which every attempt was made to approach
as near to pre-war standards in the health services as might be
possible under war-time conditions. The health of the district, as
shown in the following pages, will demonstrate that there is little
to fear if the achievements of 1941 can be maintained, and I believe
that the standard of health portrayed is largely due to the maintenance
of the Council's health services.
It is after very careful consideration that I make this statement
for one has had throughout the year to consider tepeatedly the
extent to which health services could be relaxed, in view of the
call for man power for direct war service, and now, a release of
women for direct Government work. It must then be an encouraging
fact to record that the infantile death rate of 38.12 is
the second lowest that I have yet been able to trace in the annals
of Enfield ; it was only beaten in 1939 when the rate was 35.07.
I make a special mention of this figure in the part of my Annual
Report devoted to general health, because it is considered to be
one of the important indications of the health of the distiict.
Enfield's figure of 38.12 compares with a figure of 59.00 for England
and Wales ; 68.00 for London ; 71.00 for the 126 County Boroughs
and Great Towns (including London), and 56.00 for the 148 smaller
towns. The Council, with this figure in mind, may consider that
its determination to hold fast to its health services under all possible
circumstances has been well justified.
Other interesting figures are those for infectious disease. The
total number of cases of Diphtheria notified during the year was 27.
This again represents one of the lowest incidence of this disease