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PREFACE
Public Health Offices,
Ilford.
August, 1942.
His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Ilford.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
1 herewith submit the Annual Report required by the Ministry of
Health and Board of Education. The vital statistics for the year 1941
show that the general death rate, the infant mortality rate and the maternal
mortality rate have all risen. The following shows a comparison of the
general death rate for the past 3 years, other comparative figures will be
found in Table 1A:—
1939 1940 1941
England and Wales 12.1 14.3 12.9
London 11.9 17.8 16.3
Ilford 8.5 10.3 11.5
The maternal mortality rate which in Ilford was 1.7 in 1939, rose to
3 in 1940, and to 4.12 in 1941. The infant mortality rate which was 33.9
in 1939, 32.8 in 1940, rose to 40.9 in 1941.
In 1941 there were 266 new notifications of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
compared with 177 in 1940.
Although the number of cases of Diphtheria occurring in the district
was very small, only 40 cases being notified during the year compared
with 92 during 1940, yet 3 of the cases died, making the highest death rate
for Diphtheria for the past 5 years. The immunisation of children against
Diphtheria, which was first introduced in Ilford in 1929, continued, and
2,675 children were inoculated in 1941, compared with 692 in 1940, at
the various Clinics. In addition 243 were inoculated by medical practitioners,
compared with 37 in the previous year.
The School Medical Service has had to deal with a considerably increased
incidence of verminous conditions, such as Scabies and head lice, which are
common in war time.
The provision of milk and meals in School has kept the nutrition of
school children at a satisfactory level. I am hoping that the Open Air
School will shortly be re-opened to deal with the delicate children which
in previous years have benefited so much by their attendance there.
Although some of the above figures are of a depressing character, when
compared with 1916 (the third year of the last Great War) with about half
the population of that in 1941 they take on a more favourable character.
In 1916, 89 infants died before completing the first year of life compared
with 67 in 1941; 9 persons died from Diphtheria compared with 3 in 1941;
64 persons died from Pulmonary Tuberculosis in 1916, compared with 70
in 1941. There were 2 deaths from Enteric Fever in 1916; there were none
in 1941.
The figures which I have quoted show the importance of no relaxation
in public health work in war time conditions.
Unfortunately the nursing difficulties mentioned in the preface to my
last report have not yet been dealt with, and the Committee appointed by
the Ministry of Health have still to make their recommendations.
I continued as Milk Officer for Ilford until 24th January, 1942, when
Mr. Cadman, who carried out the scheme under my direction, was appointed
as Milk Officer. The amount of work involved by myself and the staff,
which entailed the scrutinising and signing about 90,000 times during the
year, is shown by the following figures:—
Approximately
No. of Permits at 2d. 26,930
,, ,, Free of all cost 3,015
,, ,, National Dried Milk at Is. 2d. 515
,, ,, National Dried Milk Free of all cost 279