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measles year and 449 cases were notified as against 101 in 1944. On the other hand
there were many less cases of whooping cough, the number being 68 as against 207.
There were 20 tuberculosis maintenance allowances in existence at the end of the
year as compared with 26 at the end of the previous year. A scheme for mass
radiography in connection with tuberculosis, which was mentioned in the last report,
operated in this borough between November 1944 and February 1945. Of 725
males examined, 9 were referred for further investigation as probably active cases
of tuberculosis, and of 990 females examined 13 were similarly referred.
The water supply of the borough is controlled by the Metropolitan Water Board
and is relayed from public mains direct to houses. No complaint was received about
the quality of the supply. Bacteriological examinations are undertaken by the water
board but there are also a few wells located in the borough the water of which in
some cases is used for factory work. No dwellinghouses are supplied by means of
stand-pipes.
The work of the nurseries continued during the year both in the borough (Sun
Babies and Brunswick) and outside (Copthorne and Mayfield). Copthorne ceased
to be regarded as a wartime nursery in September, 1945 and subsequently children
in need of country air were sent there in a similar way to those sent to Mayfield.
In addition, preparations were made for sending mothers with young babies. Mayfield,
which had been closed in September 1944, was re-opened on 1 February 1945.
Although in " bomb alley " it was unharmed.
Comment was made on the care of premature infants in the last report. During
1945, 24 first visits and 106 total visits were paid to premature infants and of these
infants two were subsequently moved to hospital, the rest being cared for at home ;
full equipment was lent in 15 cases.
A social welfare worker was.appointed in the early days of the year to help with
the care of illegitimate children, with the domestic help scheme, with the visiting
of difficult cases in mothers with babies, and for other social work. 207 visits were
% '
paid in connection with illegitimate children and during the year the births of 89
illegitimate children were notified. This compares with 49 for the previous year,
and the rate per thousand live births consequently is considerably up—127 as compared
with 89 for 1944 and with an average of slightly under 50 for the earlier war
years. The domestic help scheme for the sick and the elderly was started in close
co-operation with the home help scheme for maternity cases which has been in
operation in this borough for a number of years. The main difficulty in the early
days of the domestic help scheme was in obtaining suitable persons as domestic
helps.
In the matter of civil defence this report will probably be the last one to
comment on the subject. Until the war ended in the May, there were in 1945 few
incidents affecting the borough. The disinfecting station in Cester Street was among
those buildings sustaining damage. The medical services generally (including firstaid
post personnel, light rescue parties, mortuary workers and ambulance personnel)
showed commendable keenness in their work up to the end. On looking back over
the period of nearly six years during which the Health Department was responsible
for most of the first-aid services in the borough, I should like to put on record my
appreciation of the work done both by the whole-timers and the part-timers,
frequently in personal circumstances of living which were far from ideal.
The poor housing in the borough undoubtedly keeps up the relatively high
rate of infestation. The personal cleansing baths were transferred from one of the
first-aid posts to Haggerston Baths during the year and 672 persons as against
475 were cleansed for scabies, and 55 as against 102 for vermin. The actual number
of cases of scabies notified, notifications being confined to the first case in the house,
dropped from 330 to 236.