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9
INFANT MORTALITY RATE
There was a very slight increase in the number of deaths of infants
under one year; there being 11 deaths in 1951 as compared with 10 in
1950. This figure is, however, still well below the average for the rest
of the country. The Infant Mortality Rate for this area is thus 25.5 per
1,000, as compared with 29.6 for England and Wales.
REMOVAL OF PERSONS IN NEED OF CARE AND
ATTENTION (Section 47—National Assistance Act, 1948)
During the year there were twenty-two cases of aged persons in
need of care and attention reported, and each was visited by the District
Sanitary Inspector. In no case was it found necessary to take action
under Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, 1948.
It will be appreciated that it is still very difficult to secure admission
of old people to hospital, but after submitting reports of the home
conditions, all of the really urgent cases were admitted within a reasonable
time.
Co-operation with the Regional Hospital Board and the County
Welfare Department remains good.
FOOD
The conditions under which food is prepared and handled for the
purpose of sale in the district have continued to engage a good proportion
of the time of the Inspectors. Generally speaking a satisfactory
standard has been maintained. There are, however, still a few premises
where standards are very low and where all methods of persuasion and
exhortation seem to meet with a poor response. The occupiers of these
premises, however, carry out the minimum amount of cleaning and
maintenance work, and so avoid legal proceedings being taken against
them. Fortunately, it is pleasing to note that those premises which do
maintain a high standard of hygiene appear to prosper commercially.
Customers generally are being more particular in their requirements,
but the prevailing economic conditions sometimes make inevitable
purchases from the sub-standard type of premises, where, because of
the rough conditions, overhead expenses are less and the product
cheaper.
The Food Byelaws have worked smoothly and well. The only
real difficulty is to ensure that food exposed, in fishmongers' shops
particularly, is kept protected from flies.
Unsatisfactory features which were noted, and which have been the
subject of representations to the appropriate quarters include:—
Unsatisfactory storage, transport and handling of meat and bacon, the
arrangements for collection of garbage and empty fish boxes from
fishmongers, etc.