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Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on the Health Services of the Borough
for the year 1948.
The population showed a further small increase, from 171,870, estimated by the
Registrar General for mid-1947, to 173, 700 in mid-1948.
The birth rate dropped from 26.6 to 21.0, as was to be expected after the temporary
post-war increase. Infant mortality fell to 30, thus continuing the general downward trend
which was interrupted in 1947. The death rate also remained low, at 9.9 per thousand of the
population.
The principle event of the year in relation to Infectious disease was an epidemic of
measles for the fourth year In succession. Hitherto, such epidemics have tended to appear
in alternate years, but many areas experienced a disturbance of this rhythm during the war
years and the epidemic cycle does not yet seem to have resumed its previous characteristics.
It remains to be seen whether this will prove to be a permanent change or a purely temporary
phenomenon possibly due to abnormal movements of the population. The epidemic was accompanied
by a much smaller one of whooping coughs in each case the mortality was low. There
were small increases of scarlet fever, diphtheria and tuberculosis and a substantial decrease
in notifications of and deaths from pneumonia. Poliomyelitis, with six cases, was rather more
prominent than usual, as was to be expected immediately after the epidemic of the previous year.
On the whole, the health record may be regarded as a favourable one.
The personal health services underwent a number of modifications directly or indirectly
caused by the operation of the National Health Service Acts they are recorded in the appropriate
sections of the report. Other long term developments remain to be worked out in
succeeding years. The greatest change was undoubtedly the passing of the Council's hospitals
under the management of the Regional Hospital Board. Fortunately, local interest was retained
in the membership of the individual Hospital Management Committees and it is probable that most
of the hospitals will continue to admit West Ham patients; though it is anticipated that in
the case of some specialised institutions such as tuberculosis sanatoria and mental hospitals
or colonies admission is likely to be on a quota basis, shared with patients from areas
previously less well provided.
The section dealing with the School Health Service gives an account of the first full
year's working of the paediatric clinic, and of the continued success of the ear, nose and
throat clinic which was described in more detail last year,,
Difficulties were still experienced in staffing the dental services while the shortage
of health visitors became still more acute. A beginning was, however, made with the
student health visitors' training scheme and it is hoped to be able to record Improvements
in the situation in future reports.
Before concluding I would like to express my deepest thanks to the Chairman and members
of the Committees concerned for their kindly help and support during the year of change; and
to pay tribute to the devotion of all members of the staff in ensuring that the services
continued to work smoothly in the face of all the difficult problems of reorganisation which
presented themselves.
I am,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. ROY DENNIS ON.
Medical Officer of Health.
Municipal Health Offices,
223/5, Romford Road,
West Ham, E.7.
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