View report page

7
Public Health Department,
Town Hall Annexe,
East Ham.
October, 1946.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit herewith my Annual Report on
the Health and Sanitary Circumstances of the County Borough
of East Ham for the year 1945, together with my Annual Report
to the Education Authority on the work of the School Health
Service. In accordance with the instructions of the Minister ot
Health, the report is mainly statistical, although some sections
are dealt with in greater detail.
The Registrar General's estimate of the population was
95,230. It is apparent, however, that this figure was exceeded
during the latter half of the year, owing largely to the return
of evacuated persons.
Vital statistics generally bear favourable comparison with
similar authorities and with England and Wales as a whole. The
infantile mortality rate shows only a slight increse over that of
the previous year, the lowest recorded in the history af the
borough. The maternal mortality rate was much below that of
many other boroughs. There were no deaths from typhoid, scarlet
fever, whoping cough, and one death only from each of the contagions,
diphtheria and measles, although the latter illness was
prevalent during the months of March and April. Reference is
made to the increase in attendances at the maternity and child
welfare clinics, and to the demand for maternity hospital accommodation.
With the termination of hostilities, it may be considered
appropriate to make reference to the activities of the public health
department which, in spite of the additional burdens placed upon
it by the exigencies of war, was yet able to maintain in a high
degree of efficiency, the established services for the welfare of
ihc people of this county borough. It is remarkable to note that,
notwithstanding the destruction of numerous homes, the re-