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has been stirred by one situation and remained largely
unaffected by the other."
In the next Annual Report I hope to give full details of the
recent arrangements in regard to diphtheria prevention, also to give
particulars as regards the maternal deaths in the Borough for at
least the last five years. Particulars for this year can be found
on pages 27 and 28. It will, I believe, be quite evident that
nearly all the deaths of women in childbirth, in this Borough,
according to our present knowledge, were not preventable, but were
due generally to abnormalities requiring serious surgical intervention,
interference possibly criminal, or serious diseases not
arising from pregnancy. The comparison between the number
of confinements and the fatalities does not justify the alarmist
statements circulated to the public and this is generally speaking,
true as regards most administrative districts. The impression
spread among the public that a confinement is to be compared
with a dangerous major surgical operation is very useful to the
birth-control propagandists who claim also that birth-control is a
remedy for all social evils such as unemployment, overcrowding,
slums, and so forth, and particularly to the manufacturers of the
various mechanical and chemical materials advertised so promiscuously
and copiously, but it is very harmful that healthy young
married women should approach confinement fearing that their
chances of recovery are slight or that they should, in consequence
of this, take every precaution to avoid conception and if failure
occurs in that direction endeavour to bring about miscarriage or
resort to abortion which are often considerably more dangerous than
natural confinement.
The entire cost of the Public Health service in the Borough,
including all staff and the maintenance of the Tuberculosis
Dispensaries, the Welfare Centres, Disinfecting Station, Isolation
Shelters and Mortuary, and all forms of assistance under the
Tuberculosis and Maternity and Child Welfare schemes is estimated
during the coming financial year to amount to a rate of 6.83 pence.
No allowance is made in this figure for the Ministry's contribution
in the General Exchequer Grant for Maternity and Child Welfare
and Tuberculosis Dispensary services.
In conclusion, I have to thank the Public Health and Maternity
and Child Welfare Committees for their support and kind consideration,
and I also express my appreciation of the manner in
which my staff have performed their duties.
I am,
Yours obediently,
G. H. DART,
Medical Officer of Health.