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Borough of Mitcham
HEALTH REPORT FOR 1944
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors.
Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have much pleasure in presenting my annual report for the
year 1944. The birth rate was the highest recorded since 1931,
and except for the years 1939 and 1943, the infant mortality rate
is the lowest on record. The number of illegitimate births has
again shown a large increase, and the need for special help for
these children is emphasised by their high infant mortality rate.
The local death rate was 11.88 per 1,000 as against 11.6 for
England and Wales, and 15.7 per 1,000 for the administrative
County of London.
The work of the Day Nurseries has continued, and each
nursery had a waiting list at the end of the year, despite enemy
action.
There has been a decrease in the number of attendances at
all clinics owing to evacuation from flying bombs, and this has
been specially noticeable in the decrease of the number of children
immunised against diphtheria.
There has been a substantial decrease in the number of notifications
of scarlet fever, and the number of notifications of
diphtheria is the lowest on record. There were no deaths from
these causes during the year.
In spite of the difficulties of obtaining staff, the work at
Woodlands Maternity Home continued throughout the flying
bomb period, and high praise is due to the Matron, staff and
patients for their courage during a very trying period.