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The doctors who have performed these post-mortem examinations have almost invariably
expressed their satisfaction with the new arrangements now existing for post-mortem examination.
It is also worthy of record that the undertakers bringing bodies merely for accommodation have
equally expressed their appreciation of the better conditions now obtainable at the Mortuary.
MOTOR AMBULANCE SERVICE.
The demands on the Motor Ambulance Service continue to increase.
During the year 5,016 calls were made for the Council's ambulances as compared with 4,728
in 1929, and 3,956 in 1928.
Altogether 125,528 miles were run in 1930 as compared with 111,338 in 1929, and 103,587
in 1928.
Approximately 290 defective children are on the lists for daily conveyance by the Council's
school ambulances to and from school.
The detailed report of the 16th year of working of the Motor Ambulance Service appears
as Appendix C.
MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL.
The 39th Annual Report on the Municipal Hospital written by Dr. Troup appears later in
this report.
There are certain features of this report which are worthy of attention.
The first is that the average duration of stay of patients suffering from scarlet fever has been
reduced to 32-9 days. This result is very satisfactory. It has always seemed to me that generally
uncomplicated cases of Scarlet Fever should be released from isolation 28 days after onset. When
I came to Willesden in 1912, the average duration of stay of scarlet fever cases in hospital in that year
was 51 days. During the War years when I was in clinical charge of the patients I made an effort
to reduce the stay in hospital, and in 1916 got it down to 36 days. Since the termination of the War
the average duration of stay has varied up to nearly 46 days, but during the last 4 years the average
duration of scarlet fever cases in hospital has been under 40 days. The figure for this year, namely
32.9 days, represents to my mind what should generally be about the average duration of scarlet
fever cases in hospital, where a large number of cases are treated, and taking into account the
complications which arise in connection with this disease.
Dr. Troup's report dealing with active immunisation against diphtheria is particularly
interesting. He shows that as a result of the immunisation of nurses only 4.1 per cent, cases of
diphtheria now occur amongst probationers, as against 45 per cent, in the pre.immunisation days.
He is hopeful that even this 4.1 per cent, can be eliminated if it were not necessary from time to time
to put on probationer nurses in the diphtheria wards before their period of immunisation had been
completed.
This method of protection against diphtheria is safe and sure and it is unfortunate that the
public do not make greater use of the facilities offered to their children for protection against
diphtheria—a relatively fatal disease.
The cubicle pavilion, the necessity for which I first called the attention of the Council to in
1920, has now been working for the full period under review. During 1930 a total of 137 cases were
treated in the cubicle pavilion without any cross infection. This is a very satisfactory result having
regard to the large variety of infectious diseases which have been treated in this cubicle pavilion
during the year.
FEATURES OF THE YEAR'S WORK.
Stonebridge Health Centre.—A special feature of the year's work was the opening of the
Stonebridge Health Centre on April 8th, 1930, by the Minister of Health, the Rt. Hon. Arthur
Greenwood. This Centre has been specially designed for the purpose of maternity and child welfare
and school medical work, and is one of the very few centres in this or any other country specially
built for this combination of work. The arrangements whereby the varieties of work coming under
the above headings are combined lead to great economy in working.
General Medical Work.—It was anticipated that the opening of this Centre would increase
the work of the department by something like 25 per cent., but although the Centre was only in
full operation for barely half the year, the general medical work of the department has gone up by
over 33 per cent., the total clinic attendances during 1930 having been 133,189 as compared with
98,991 in the previous year.
Dental Work.—This increase includes an increase in dental work for mothers and children
under 5, and school children, by practically 100 per cent., as the dental staff has been doubled.
Artificial Light Treatment.—Included in the above figures is also an increase of 100 per
cent, in Artificial Light treatment, as this department is now available for the whole of the Urban
District of Willesden. Prior to the opening of the Stonebridge Health Centre it was only available
for half the area of Willesden at Health Centre (1).