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The prevalence of infectious diseases among the resident population
throughout the war years was not unfavourable. Diphtheria incidence
was generally lower, the number of cases ranging between
45 in 1940 and 7 in each of the last two years, with a total of 7 deaths
in non-immunised persons. Scarlet fever of a mild type, which
caused no deaths, was fairly prevalent throughout the period, with
a peak in 1943, but showing a substantial fall in 1944, when there was
only one-third the number of cases in the year before. The longestablished
biennial periodicity of epidemic measles was changed
probably as the result of child population movements on a considerable
scale, an outbreak of the usual epidemic proportions occurring
in each of the years 1940-1-2-3. The year 1944 was virtually free
from measles, and it would appear that the rhythm of this infection is
reverting to its two-yearly character. Whooping cough, though never
characterised by such extensive outbreaks, had a higher degree of
fatality, causing 5 such deaths in the 5 years 1940-44, against 4 from
measles, although the number of cases was only one-third of those
due to measles. Cases of enteric fever were few, true typhoid being
entirely absent in each war year except in 1943, when there were 2 illdefined
cases. There is little doubt that a mild form of dysentry,
due to the Sonne organism and giving rise to indisposition for a few
days only, is fairly common and that a good deal of this infection
escapes detection in the guise of "diarrhoea," "dietetic errors,"
etc. The increased risk of tuberculosis arising from war-time conditions
has been brought to public attention. The number of tuberculous
persons in this district has risen steadily between the end of
1939 and 1944 from approximately 8 to 12 per 1,000 of the population.
One compensatory feature, however, is the fact that the death
rate from this disease is materially unchanged from pre-war years.
As the result of improved methods of detection, notably mass radiography,
it is probable that in future a substantially higher proportion
of cases will come to notice with the disease in its earlier
stages when the prospects of cure are greatly increased.
The provision of badly needed additional hospital accommodation in
this part of the County was seriously delayed by the outbreak of war,
work on the new St. Helier County Hospital coming almost to a
standstill in September, 1939. Having withstood considerable damage
from enemy bombing, progress is again being made, and although not
yet in full commission, it is playing a major part in the local hospital
services.
Despite many handicaps, your Maternity and Child Welfare
scheme strove hard to maintain that high standard of service which
it had achieved in the years before the war and, judging by the
relevant vital statistics, in large measure succeeded. Except for the
suspension of the special toddler clinics during the second half of
1944, when many of the children were evacuated, the scope of the
scheme was not reduced, nor was the programme of clinic sessions
except sliehtly at two of the five centres for 4 months of last year.
Among the many tasks of reconstruction which now face us, the provision
of adequately designed and equipped welfare centres to conform
to better standards of service ranks high on the list of priorities.
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