View report page

2.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS of SHOREDITCH.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year 1S49 to which this annual report refers, marks the first
full year's working of the National Health Service Act, 1946, and therefore
refers to "Personal" health services only by implication. I am
pleased to acknowledge however, that the personal relations with the
London County Council Divisional Medical Officer, Dr.S.King, and his
staff have remained smooth, and that the methods used in those services
have changed very little in the Borough, they having, in fact, tended to
spread to other parts of the Division and County. Naturally, we in the
Town Hall miss sadly, and feel the need of, closer and more immediate
contact with personal health services and tuberculosis in particular.
The resident population has increased very slightly, to 45,200,
but it is pleasing to note that the number of separate dwellings has
increased out of proportion, from 9,450 to 11,140. This fact, together
with the large numbers of overcrowded families rehoused in other
districts, from Shoreditch, gives hope of improved statistics in future
years, even though a slight deterioration has occurred compared with
1946 in certain vital statistics. For example, the crude death rate
has increased from 11.78 to 13.11, and the infantile mortality rate has
slipped from its record last year of 24.62 down to 38.19. Tuberculosis
deaths remain unchanged however, and the new notifications show a
definite improvement which we hope will now continue. The incidence of
infectious disease in general was distinctly lower than in 1948, and
although that of diphtheria was still disappointing in the school age
group, the indications in 1950 already point to a great improvement
following the further boosting of re-inoculation in the schools themselves.
This higher rate of protection in the age group now most
susceptible of all to the disoase, bids fair to reduce appreciably
Shoreditch's relatively poor figures before the next annual report
appears. Poliomyelitis, on the other hand, lived up to its popular title,
in that the ten patients affected were all under school age, there being
one death - the first child attacked in the Borough.
But, whatever the future may bring, we may rest assured that the
Borough Council is doing the maximum in its power to improve conditions
for all age groups. It is second to none in its housing efforts and in
the help it gives towards making the lives of the elderly as healthful
and happy as possible both by Clubs, cheap meals (at home or club) and
holidays. In addition, it provides a unique country holiday home for
members of all age groups, at a charge which they can afford, and, for
the remainder of the year, allows people (especially mothers with babies)
to come there from all parts of the country and relax during that
critical period when medicine and nursing can be replaced by simple rest
and gocd food, before plunging again into the turmoil of everyday life.