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7
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
East Ham, E.G.
May 1939.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit to you my Annual Report
on the health of the County Borough of East Ham for the
year 1938, together with the Annual Report to the Education
Committee on the School Medical Service.
As a measure of economy, only essential statistics are
given and comment is limited to important features of
the year's work.
In comparison with last year, the mortality and other
rates shew some slight variation, but the figures generally
are lower than those for England and Wales as a whole,
and reference to Table 41 indicates the relative position of
East Ham as regards the effectiveness of its health measures
with that of other boroughs.
There was a lessened incidence of notifiable infectious
disease despite a limited outbreak of enteric fever, and
a number of mild cases of dysentery which at the time, was
somewhat prevalent throughout the country. Similarly to
last year, the percentage of admissions to hospital remained
high and no deaths occurred from scarlet fever.
The appointment of municipal midwives has met with
an increasing demand for such services and, in conjunction
with the clinics, has provided greater facilities for antenatal
care and skilled nursing in the home. There is,
however, need for more post-natal supervision, and the
number of toddlers examined falls short of the requirements
considered satisfactory.
The provision of maternity accommodation by the
Council in the new block, in course of construction at the
East Ham Memorial Hospital, will augment the facilities
for many residents of the Borough, and comply with the
Ministry of Health's recommendation for a complete
maternity scheme.