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BOROUGH OF BRENTFORD & CHISWICK
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
TOWNHALL, CHISWICK.
To the Mayor, Alderman and Councillors of the
Borough of Brentford and Chiswick.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
When the year opened the work of the Department was affected
seriously by war conditions, but as time went on and the "blitz"
was forgotten and more children returned from reception areas our
activities became more normal.
The attendances at the Clinics increased and the special
Clinics were re-opened.
The Diphtheria Immunisation Clinic (which re-opened in December
of last year) was very well attended and a second weekly session was
started at the Brentford Clinic. Also a third weekly session for
Ante-natal and Post-natal work had to be held.
Two new features during the year were firstly the institution,
on a large scale, of meals for school children and secondly the
opening of a War-time Nursery for 60 children from birth to 5 years
of age in the Brentford area.
As regard the health of the district the tables on pages 14
and 17l?of this report give an indication of the prevalence and
incidence of Infectious Disease. It will be noted that Measles and
Chicken-pox were prevalent during the first six months and Whooping
Cough cases were found in the greatest number during the second
quarter of the year. Scabies gave us a good deal of trouble as there
is no Cleansing Centre in the Borough.
The Infantile Mortality Rate was 51 and that figure was
calculated on 30 infantile deaths of which 13 or nearly half were
due to prematurity or congenital malformation.
The increase of Tuberculosis in. the country as a whole is a
matter of grave concern to Public Health Authorities. In this
Borough the total figures are perhaps not very indicative, but the
incidence of the pulmonary form of this disease in males between
15 and 35 years is significant. These figures for notified new
cases are:- 1938 - 14 cases in 1939 - 36 cases, in 1940 - 47 cases
and in 1941 - 52 cases. The total figures for all forms and all ages
are:- 1938 - 108 cases with 40 deaths, 1939 - 85 cases with 41 deaths
1940 - 94 cases with 38 deaths and 1941 - 89 cases with 42 deaths.
Miss Edwards, Health Visitor and School Nurse, a member of the
Territorial Nursing Reserve, was called up for service with the
Forces and Brian Smith joined the R.A.F. and gained his "wings" as
a bomber pilot.
I am, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
R.C. LEANING.