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To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS
Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The report of the health department for 1941 is again an interim statement
which records only the basic facts of the work done.
The number of births classified as belonging to the borough shows a further
decrease from 916 for 1940 to 634 for 1941. The decrease, however, is not in proportion
quite so great as the decrease in the population as estimated by the Registrar
General, and therefore the rate (i.e., number of births per thousand population)
has gone up slightly from 16.04 to 17.44.
The infant mortality rate for the year decreased a little—from 69 to 63—and
can be regarded as not unsatisfactory having regard to local and general conditions.
Altogether 32 babies died under one year of age. Seven of these deaths were due to
" other violent causes," which include enemy action. By far the biggest cause of
non-violent death in infants under one year of age was diarrhœa and enteritis,
from which 10 infants died. This is essentially a public health problem, and should
be preventable. In spite of unremitting labour and care in this connection, many
cases of diarrhoea and enteritis occur, and the condition must remain in the forefront
of our local battles. It should be noted that, by direction of the Registrar General,
the infant and maternal mortality rates are calculated on a number of live births
less than the actual number ascribed to the borough. This is because, during the
war period, deaths are assigned to the area in which a mother may be temporarily
residing as a result of the war. Ordinary death and notifiable disease rates are
calculated for the civilian population, as estimates of the numbers and distribution
of the non-civilian population are not available.
The home for toddlers at Mayfield was open throughout the year, except for
two periods totalling three weeks, when it was closed through infectious disease.
The difficulties which were found in the evacuation of children under five years
of age, both absolute through lack of places in the reception areas, and relative
through some of the foster-homes being not in all respects satisfactory, encouraged
the Council to approach the Ministry of Health in order to obtain permission for
establishing an additional residential home of their own. This matter of a
residential home in the country for general purposes has been in the Committee's
and the Council's mind for many years, and the success of Mayfield has made them
wish to expand this work to a degree which of course Mayfield is unable to
satisfy. With this in mind as a post-war desirability and with the immediate
requirement of a home for evacuees, contact was made with the medical
officer of health of the East Sussex County Council. Through his good offices,
various large houses were inspected in that area, but for one reason or another
these were not suitable for our purposes. Eventually, however, a house at
Copthorne, Surrey (just on the borders of Sussex) was reported, and this on inspection
appeared to have satisfactory probabilities. As a result, a small deputation went
to the Ministry of Health just before Christmas, and the rather cumbrous machinery
of obtaining the house by buying the freehold was set in motion. Eventually (in
August of this present year) the Borough Council completed the deal and obtained
possession of the house. The house is in the triangle between Horley, East Grinstead
and Crawley, about four or five miles from each, and after the war it should make
a very useful residential home for young children, nursing mothers and possibly
children suffering from certain specific affections, such as rheumatism. A fuller
description of the work done and proposed to be done will be included in the annual
report for 1942.