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10 deaths occurred in children under one year of age; of these
seven were in the first week of life and due either to prematurity
or congenital defects. Of the remaining three, one death at
three months was due to congenital heart disease, a second at one
month due to an infection of the lung, and the last, a child of three
months, was overlayed by its mother. This last death took place in
a house in the Borough which is used by the East Ham Corporation
for the accommodation of homeless persons. Of the ten infant deaths,
eight can be described as unavoidable, i.e., due to congenital defects
or prematurity.
There were nine cases of suicide, one death due to a motor
vehicle accident, and seven due to other accidents, of which five
were accidents in the home. A graph showing deaths by age groups
is given and it will be noted that the majority of deaths occurred in
the 75—85 years group.
Infectious Disease.
There was a fall in infectious diseases generally as compared
with the previous year. As is usual, the three most common diseases
were measles, whooping cough and scarlet fever, the incidence of
none of which increased to epidemic level.
Six cases of poliomyelitis were notified, compared with 13 in
1953. One of these was an extremely doubtful case of the nonparalytic
type in an adult. Two other cases were also non-paralytic,
and of the paralytic cases all three made good recovery. It cannot
be too strongly emphasised that cases of this disease should be
admitted to an isolation hospital as early as possible. As well as
provision for specialised medical and nursing care, facilities in these
hospitals are available for physiotherapy to be commenced under
expert supervision as soon as is practicable. This may make all the
difference as regards the ultimate degree of paralysis.
Notified cases of tuberculosis fell from 57 to 47, and the number
of deaths from 5 to 3. A note regarding the administration of
B.C.G. vaccine is given under the sections dealing with County
Council services.
Old Peoples Welfare—Chiropody.
Early in the year a scheme to supplement the very inadequate
services provided by the County Council for chiropody treatment
for aged persons was commenced. Two chiropodists practicing in
the Borough were approached and each agreed to set aside one
afternoon per week to treat old persons at their surgeries. 125
persons were treated up to the end of the year, and the scheme has
proved most popular. The cost works out at 6s. 6d. per treatment,
2s. 6d. of which is paid by the patient (when possible), 2s. is covered
by a special grant for the purpose given by the Essex Old Peoples
Welfare Association, and the remainder is paid from the funds of
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