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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 1950.
The population as estimated by the Registrar-General showed a small decrease from
173,700 in mid-1949 172,800 in mid-1950. It is, of course, too early to say whether
this is the beginning of a recession from the post-war peak of 1948/1949, or how far it
is likely to go, but it is an interesting trend in view of the optimum population figure
of 165,000 which was accepted by the Council for planning purposes a few years ago.
The birth rate showed a further fall from 18.7 to 16.6 per thousand. This is still
above the lowest pre-war level and although it has declined so far from the highest point
of the post-war rise (26.8) it is not yet possible to feel confident that it is becoming
stabilised. The infant mortality at 27.7 and the stillbirth rate at 22 are both higher
than the record rates of the previous year, but as it is explained on page 35 there is
reason to believe that these increases are probably no more than the anticipated fluctuations
in the general downward trend. The death rate again remained low at 10.7 per
thousand, A recorded increase in the maternal mortality to 1.7 was a little misleading
since some of the cases on which it was computed were not related to childbirth, but were
embraced within the Registrar-General's classification because pregnancy was a factor in
the cause of the death: further details are given on page 35.
The experience of infectious diseases did not give rise to undue anxiety. West
Ham shared the national prevalence of poliomyelitis, but of the 30 proved cases exactly
half were non-paralytic and there was one death: adequate arrangements for the treatment
of paralysis were made by the hospital services. Towards the end of the year it became
clear that an epidemic of measles and whooping cough was beginning, but it had not fully
developed and any further comment properly belongs to a later report. Beyond the observation
that the diphtheria incidence remained at the same low level as in the previous year
there was nothing else remarkable in this field of our service.
The Chief Sanitary Inspector has this year written a very full account of the work
of the Sanitary Section. A personal commentary by the executive officer in charge can
often show more clearly than any formal presentation, the kind of problems which are
encountered by his particular branch of the service and how it makes its characteristic
contribution; to the public health. I am sure this one will be read with interest.
An important development arising from the Council's responsibilities as a Food and
Drugs Authority was the formation of the Clean Food Advisory Association. Food infections
have become much more prevalent in recent years and prevention lies largely in the adoption
of clean methods, based on an understanding of the causes, at all stages of food handling
from farm or factory to the table. It was felt that the co-operation of the food trade,
and later the housewife, could best be secured by working out together some reasonable and
effective standards of practice which could be authoritatively recommended. It was also
hoped that the trade representatives might take an active part in a sustained educational
Clean Food Campaign. The account on pages 14 and 15 tells of the very promising start
which this venture has made.
In the reports of the personal health services a number of points deserve special
notice. A new departure was the appointment of an Almoner under the Council's care arrangements
to work principally in the Chest Clinic. His purpose is to help in the solution of
those social difficulties which so often impede the recovery of tuberculous patients from
their very long and tedious illness. A Psychiatric Social Worker was also appointed for
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