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THE COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHALL, 1943.
Members of the Public Health Committee (which also functions as a Maternity
and Child Welfare Committee) are denoted by an asterisk.
HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR
*ALDERMAN D. C. NEIGHBOUR, J.P.
Deputy Mayor:
*Alderman Mrs. F. S. Amos (Chairman of the Public Health Committee).
Aldermen:
*Gardner, F. E. Hamblin, E. B. *Pargiter, G. A. *Smith, F. G.
Councillors:
Bill, H. R.
Braine, E. W. H.
*Cox, E. W.
Dane, A. T.
Davies, R. L.
*Douglas, H. C.
Harris, G.
Hill, J.
Hopkins, W. H.
*Hutchings, C.
*Lewis, J. F.
*Lowe, J.
Luckett, F. H.
Lye, A. E.
*Marks, F. J.
*Knott, Mrs. A.
Saxon, J. A.
Sturgeon, J. M.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Southall.
MR. MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present the forty-seventh Annual Report on the health and
sanitary circumstances of the district. Certain vital statistics still require to be excluded
from the Report for security reasons, on instructions from the Ministry of Health. The
general health of the population continues to be good. The birth rate remained at the
higher level which it reached in 1942, but there was a slight increase in the death rate.
There was a slight reduction in the infant mortality rate, 53.01 as compared with 56.9 in 1942,
and while this is satisfactory, as it followed a considerable decrease on the previous year's
figure, there is still room for improvement.
During the year, the district was affected by the epidemic of influenza which was
widespread over England during the latter part of the year, and in October and November
there was an outbreak of Scarlet Fever, which reached considerable proportions, but did
not last very long, and was not of a severe type.
The cleansing station continued to do useful work in the treatment of scabies and
verminous conditions.
Two additional wartime day nurseries for the children of mothers engaged in war
work were opened, one at the Recreation Ground and one at Jubilee Gardens. There had
been a long waiting list for children for whom places in day nurseries were required, and
the opening of these nurseries relieved the lists to a considerable extent.
The clinic attendances continued good, the increase in the numbers attending the
ante-natal clinics being considerable.
The work of the Health Visitors was expanded during the year to increase propaganda
for anti-diphtheria immunisation, and special care of the 2-5 age children.
The work of the Sanitary Inspectors continued to increase. The stoppage of
building and the continued influx of persons from areas more vulnerable to air attack make
overcrowding problems of much more frequent occurrence, and the number of food
inspections increased to almost 100 per cent. over the previous year.
Casualty Service work in Civil Defence still took up a considerable proportion of
the time of the clerical and other staff.
I am, your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
MARGARET A. GLASS,
Manor House, Southall. Medical Officer of Health.
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