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It is obvious that if real progress in Public Health is to be
made, such conditions as indicated above must be remedial
before any other reform. To ignore or neglect them would be
grave negligence on the part of administrators. There is, however,
an apparent anomaly, that, in spite of these conditions,
the Infantile Mortality Rate (i.e., deaths of babies under one
year) remains at the remarkably low figure of 27. It perhaps
says much for the services provided by the committees that
we have been able to save so many lives of infants in spite of
the social conditions of many of the families. The whole
judgment on public health is, however, something greater than
that based on the health of babies alone—the human behaviour
factor is of equal importance. Most of the sanitary problems
we meet to-day are due to the personal neglect of the ordinary.
practice of cleanliness, orderliness, or the result of physical or
mental laziness.
It is hoped that in the post-war years some use will be
made of the services of those persons—wardens, W.V.S. and
housewives—who have given such valiant social service during
the war years. In this lies a relationship with the public
necessary for any development of a social sense and practice
I am indebted to Mr. H. E. Lawley, Chief Clerk of the
Health Department, for the main compilation of this Report
I am,
Your obedient servant,
K. E. TAPPER.
Medical Officer of Health