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Friman Barnet Urban district Council
Public Health Department
TOWN HALL,
N.ll.
6th. September 1945.
To the Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Friern Barnet Urban District Council.
Gentlemen,
This report is again delayed this year on account of
war time conditions. We are still working extended hours with a
skeleton temporary staff, and the technical and administrative
work fells on one Sanitary Tnsnector, truly a whole time occupation.
The report covers the period January 1st. 1944, to
December 31st. 1944 inclusive, and will follow the usual
abbreviated form in accordance with Circular 10/44 issued in
February 1944.
There is no evidence that the health of the district
has deterioriated; in fact, some indications are rather the other
way, especially is this so in the case of the children of school
age. Regular employment of the parents, with school meals nicely
served, have undoubtedly improved their nutritional standard, and
the contrast between the children of the early 1930's and to-day
is most marked. Our deathrate is back again to the low pre-war
figures; the birthrate continues above the pre-war average, and
the infant mortality rate is the lowest yet recorded. There were
no deaths due to childbirth, nor were there any notifications of
puerperal pyrexia. Housing conditions have deteriorated, and
there is considerable overcrowding, which only the provision of
more houses will alleviate, and housing is and will be for some years
the No. 1. Public Health problem.
The district suffered two rather severe incidents from
flying bombs, which strained the housing accommodation to the
utmost; but the difficulties were overcome, and the displaced
families were housed in such houses as were vacant, and had been
requisitioned and retained for that purpose. In both these
indidcnts, it was the small and fully occupied houses that received
the worst damage.
From the end of July to the first week in September,
the evacuation of mothers and children took place. Your sanitary
inspector acted as registrar and liasion officer, and Drs. Stephen
and Campbell gave me valuable assistance in the medical examinations.
783 mothers and children were officially evacuated, and all records
were kept in the Public Health Dept. In addition the records of
the re-housing, office show that 1408 persons were evacuated to
billets found by themselves, and un-connocted with the official
parties. The whole scheme worked smoothly, and was an out-standing
example of team work, carried out with enthusiasm by willing
workers from all departmentS, who gave up their leisure time to
make the evacuation the undoubted success it proved to be.
The usual sanitary services, such as water supply,
sewerage and sewage disposal, have been maintained, and some of
the sprinkler oxidysing filters were improved, as they had not
been giving effluents up to their pre-war standard.
ThB W.v.S. continued their salvage work, and the
collection of kitchen waste was speeded up and improved. The bins
for this purpose have received periodical clcansing, and although
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