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To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Sutton and Cheam,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the Annual Report on
the health of the Borough for the year 1945.
After the ordeal of the flying bombs in 1944, and the
menace of enemy rockets during the early months of 1945, the
coming of peace brought welcome relief from the prolonged strain
of war. The near completion of first-aid repairs to houses,
the ending of shelter life, and the raising of blackout
restrictions, improved hygienic standards, but the return of
evacuees and of service personnel made the population even more
disproportionate to the housing accommodation. Overcrowding
increased, and with the intermingling of families, caused much
unhappiness, discord and depression. The Rest Centre at the
Masonic Hall, Sutton, was reopened by Surrey County Council for
families rendered homeless by eviction, and provided only the
minimum of comfort and amenity. Some relief was afforded by the
requisitioning of houses, and by the erection of fifteen temporary
hutments, and progress was made with the selection of sites and
preparation of plans for permanent houses, There was insufficient
temporary accommodation available to meet the immediate needs of
many families living in severe discomfort, At the end of the
year applications for housing numbered over 2000, Housing
remained the most serious and urgent problem affecting the public
health,
Respite these adverse factors, and mainly because of the wide
distribution of protective foods, the general health of the
community remained good. There was no abnormal incidence of
infectious disease. Measles was epidemic during the first six
months of the year. Scarlet Fever and whooping Cough declined.
There was an Increase in cases of Diphtheria, Immunisation
against Diphtheria progressed, and immunisation against Whooping
Cough was introduced.
There was a fall in the birth rate. The death rate was
lower. The infantile mortality rate was the lowest yet recorded.
The maternal mortality rate remained low.
The work of general sanitation, of the prevention of
nuisances, and of the protection of food, was efficiently carried
out under the direction of the Chief Sanitary Inspector
(Mr. C.W.Newbery), to whom much credit is due for his efforts in
preserving the habitability of many houses in the Borough, despite
difficulties of labour and of materials.
The water supply of the district maintained a high
standard of chemical and bacteriological purity. Effective
control by daily sampling and by chlorination was continued.
The Council's Civil Ambulance was transferred from the
Civil Defence Depot to the Fire Station, Throwley Road, Sutton,
on 1st July, 1945, and from that date the Civil Ambulance Service
has operated as an independent unit, controlled and financed by
the Council, and working in close association with the National
Fire Service. This arrangement has provided, a satisfactory service*
I thank the members of the Council for their advice and
assistance during the year, and I am grateful to all the officers
of the Council for their close co-operation,
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your Obedient Servant,
ENEAS J. MACINTYRE.
Medical Officer of Health,
(3)