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In noting the further satisfactory reduction in the infantile
mortality rate of 35.4 it is interesting to observe that the
present rate in the borough is just half of the rate of 71.1
recorded ten years ago in 1933, and that there has been a
reduction of one-third in the rate of 53.(32 recorded five years
ago in 1938. It compares favourably with the present general
rate of 49 for England and Wales and with the rate of 60 for
the administrative county of London, and may be held as an
indication of your child welfare and health services and social
services in the area generally.
It may be worth while remembering when the question of
the future of public health services is under consideration.
It is gratifying to record the continued expansion of the
borough's maternity and child welfare services which this year
include three child welfare and one ante-natal additional weekly
clinic session, together with one additional monthly specialist
ante-natal session.
A new scabies scheme has been inaugurated for the treatment
of notified cases and examination and subsequent treatment of
contacts. This disease is, unfortunately, increasing and one
of the defects of the Scabies Order is that the medical officer
of health has no control over cases which are under treatment
by a panel or private doctor. This naturally may lead to the
spread of the disease for there is no restriction on the patient's
movements or activities whilst undergoing such treatment.
This year the department has received considerable assistance
from civil defence personnel. Nursing auxiliaries have
helped in staffing the municipal maternity home occasionally
the isolation hospital, and in attending the various child welfare
sessions, while since June of this year the ambulance personnel
have taken over from the fire service the public health ambulance
service of the town.
I cannot conclude without commenting on the remarkable
number of proposals that have been published during this year
for changing or reforming present medical practice in this
country. Having studied most of the schemes put forward
and knowing something of the personnel involved, I feel sure
that practically all would to some extent at least be successful,
although there appears to be some confusion with regard to the
difference between health and medical services.