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PREFACE.
Public Health Offices,
Ilford.
September, 1946.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Ilford.
Ms. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I submit herewith the Annual Report on the Health Services for
the year 1945.
On 1st October of that year I assumed, the office of Acting Medical
Officer of Health on the much regretted retirement of Dr. A. H. G.
Burton, who, on medical advice, resigned his position as Medical Officer
of Health and vacated office on 30th September.
In this, my first annual report, I would pay unstinted tribute to
Dr. Burton's work in building up the Public Health services of the
town during the past quarter of a century. His achievements were
briefly outlined in the Annual Report for 1944, and further to that
typically modest summary I would additionally make mention of his
great leadership, superb clinical acumen, and especially his great
humanity exemplified in conscientious and untiring solicitude for all
who came under his professional care. Since his retirement and
appointment as Consultant to the Council he has given great assistance
in connection with various Infant Welfare Centres, holiday relief, and
the Open Air School. I welcome this opportunity of expressing my
great indebtedness to him for this and. for his helpful counsel and
advice, which, drawn from profound knowledge and long experience,
have been of the utmost value.
The comparative Vital Statistics of Ilford and other districts for
the year 1945 will be found in Table 1a on page 13.. These show that
the health of the Town has been maintained and compare favourably
with the National figures and those for the Administrative County of
London. It will be noted that the uncorrected Death Rate of 10.0
is lower than that for 1944, despite the inclusion of 105 deaths due
to enemy action. The Infantile Mortality Rate remains gratifvingly
low; a decimal point lower than last year. The Birth Rate shows a
decrease, being 16.8, as compared with 19.1 for 1944, but this is
doubtless accounted for by the large exodus of Service men from the
country after "D" Hay, on 6th June, 1944. Present indications are
that the birth rate for the current year will probably exceed that
for 1944.
So far as Infectious Diseases are concerned, there have been no
serious major epidemics affecting the inhabitants of the district,
although the incidence of measles was five times that of 1944. This was
attributable to the periodic cycle of incidence which characterises this
complaint. Whooping cough cases were approximately half those of
the previous year. The number of cases of diphtheria remained low
thanks to the immunisation scheme, and only one small outbreak
(recorded in the School Medical Section of the Report) occurred. An
outbreak of acute anterior poliomyelitis which occurred is described
in the Infectious Diseases Section.
The year saw the disbandment of the Civil Defence Casualty Service
which, after almost six years of sterling service, officially ceased its
existence on 1st July. A full account and appreciation of its activities
was given in the last Annual Report, but for security reasons it was not
permissible to publish figures regarding local casualties. It may now