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8
A commencement was made in regard to measures to reduce
flooding due to abnormal rainfall.
Turning to the Personal Health Services administered through
the Health Area Sub-Committee, the routine work showed a
satisfactory position with an increase in ante and post-natal
examinations. There was a marked improvement in the number of
expectant mothers with a haemoglobin level of under 70%. Infant
deaths from prematurity were only six against sixteen in 1957,
clearly a reflection of improving ante-natal care. The chief cause of
infant mortality is congenital malformation, which so far has
defied effective preventive measures.
Attendances at welfare clinics were approximately 1,000 less
than in 1957, but on the other hand allowance must be made for
the increasing number of family doctors who are organising their
own welfare clinics. Unfortunately the "uptake" of welfare foods
continues to fall.
Co-operation was given to the perinatal mortality survey
organised by the National Birthday Trust and in regard to the
investigation sponsored from Guy's Hospital into the transmission
of antibodies.
The home nursing and district midwifery services continued
good work with over 69,000 home nursing visits and nearly 10,000
midwifery and maternity visits. Nearly 92% of expectant mothers
confined on the district received analgesia. Over 16,000 domiciliary
visits were paid by the health visitors and the Superintendent Health
Visitor gives an interesting account of their work and the increasing
co-operation with family doctors.
Vaccination and immunisation continued to make progress and
of children under one year 62% were immunised against diphtheria
and 68% against whooping cough. The target for diphtheria
immunisation is 75% below the age of one year and unfortunately
there is now a general tendency to forget the continuing need for
diphtheria immunisation in view of the more fashionable immunisation
against poliomyelitis and whooping cough. From time to
time sharp reminders are received as to what can happen in a
community which may either wholly, or in part, be inadequately
protected against diphtheria. One such outbreak occurred in a
neighbouring borough last autumn and although there were only
eleven cases, one was fatal and another gravely ill. Only two had
been fully immunised and both these cases were mild. The control
of the outbreak involved an immense amount of work with considerable
disorganisation, and some 4,000 swabs were taken from
some 1,800 persons before the outbreak was finally cleared.
With regard to vaccination against poliomyelitis, considerable
administrative difficulties followed from the extension of entitlement
and from the variation in the make and availability of vaccine. In