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1
Health Department,
Pakkshot,
Richmond.
August, 1947
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Richmond (Surrey).
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the
Medical Officer of Health for the year 1946, upon the Sanitary
Circumstances, Sanitary Administration and Vital Statistics of
the Borough.
Although I have been your Medical Officer of Health since
1941 this is the first occasion on which I have had the privilege
of presenting the report. Even so, I was only in your service
during half of the year under review, and I would like to express
my appreciation of Dr. C. S. Brebner and Dr. J. Dancy who
deputized for me until my return in July 1946.
At the request of the Ministry of Health, the material for
this report has once again been curtailed by the omission of
certain tables of statistics. As in previous years, these will be
retained in the Public Health Department.
The work of the Department has continued to increase both
in scope and in volume.
The Birth Rate at 19.8 per thousand is the highest recorded
and there was not a single maternal death.
No case of Diphtheria was notified and there was no death
from an infectious disease other than influenza. Richmond is
fortunate in having available all the facilities of the South Middlesex
Fever Hospital. This hospital gives an excellent service which
undoubtedly plays a large part in the high recovery rate.
The Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme continues to
function with success, and the number of residents making use
of the facilities increases week by week. Additional ante-natal
clinics and an extra infant welfare clinic were started as the
numbers attending had become so great.