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Medical Officer's Annual Report
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Hayes, Middlesex.
August, 1945.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of
Hayes and Harlington.
Mr. Chairman, Madam and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the fortieth Annual
Report on the health of your Urban District. As in the case
of the previous five Annual Reports, this is abridged in accordance
with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
In spite of five years of war, with its attendant restrictions
in food and recreation, gross overcrowding of the population,
deficient ventilation of the houses consequent on the black-out,
and long working hours, the health of this district has not
appreciably deteriorated. There has, however, been an increase
in the incidence of tuberculosis, although it is probable that part
of this increase is due to the more efficient methods of early
diagnosis which have resulted from mass radiography.
The most urgent matter affecting public health at the present
moment is undoubtedly overcrowding. The great shortage of
houses is due partly to destruction by enemy action, but chiefly
to the fact that there has been an increase in the population
of about 15,000 since 1938.
The most outstanding feature in the matter of the incidence
of infectious disease is the startling reduction in diphtheria.
During 1944 there was no death from diphtheria. Six cases
were notified, none of which had been immunised. It will thus
be seen that the free immunisation of children against diphtheria,
begun here in 1935, has been of the greatest benefit to the district,
as with the severe overcrowding from which the population has
suffered, it might have been expected that such a disease might
have spread rapidly and have been responsible for many deaths.
During the war, owing to the fact that several of the members
of the staff have joined His Majesty's Forces, the work of the
Department has been carried on with some difficulty. I should
like to thank the members and officers of the Council and also
the County Medical Officer and his staff for the help which they
have always been so ready to give my Department.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient servant,
J. STANLEY LLOYD,
Medical Officer of Health.
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