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Boroughs) and there are 50 'County Boroughs with a smaller
population. Wembley is the 5th largest County District in
population in Middlesex.
In 1945, 2,153 births were recorded giving a birth rate of
16.39 per 1,000. There were 1,024 deaths during 1945; 464 (that
is, 45.33%) occurred elsewhere than within the Borough boundary,
and 466 took place in hospital (that is, 45.50%), giving a crude
death rate of 8.68 per 1,000 estimated population. The infantile
mortality rate remained at a relatively low level, being 36.75
per 1,000 live births. Of the 69 deaths which occurred in
children who never saw their first birthday, 33 (that is, 47.83%)
occurred within the first week of life, while 46 (that is, 66.66%)
occurred within the first four weeks of life. The principal causes
of death were heart disease and other diseases of the circulatory
system, cancer, and the respiratory diseases. There were no
maternal deaths from sepsis, but 2 deaths were recorded from
other puerperal causes. A Table is presented giving details of
the infantile mortality which again shows prematurity as the main
cause of the deaths of very young infants, congenital defects,
most of 'them incompatible with life, being the next greatest cause
of infantile mortality. Tables are also given showing the
infantile mortality and maternal mortality during the last five
years (1941-45).
B. In accordance with Ministry of Health Circular No. 70/45,
with the disbandment of the Civil Defence services a re-organisation
of the Ambulance Service became necessary. While probably
ar. economical siting for such a service is at a hospital or Fire
Station, or along with a disinfection station, from the circular's
reference to a National Health Service it seemed 'that, for the
present, the provision of ambulances was to be considered as an
immediate expediency likely to be altered again and, accordingly,
the Barham Ambulance Station became the main ambulance
station, open ithroughout 'the twenty-four hours, the Kingsbury
Station being a subsidiary station open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
daily. This arrangement worked well and with the co-operation
of the National Fire Service the Borough Ambulance Service is
now about to be stationed at the Wembley Fire Station, Harrow
Road, while in the daytime one ambulance will be available from
the Kingsbury Fire Station.
The Domestic Help Service (Ministry of Health Circular No.
179/44) continued difficult of administration because of the
impossibility of recruiting sufficient personnel either full-time
or part-time. This is a service which should be of the greatest
value by supplying a real public need but up to the present the
supply of personnel falls very far short of the requirements..
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