View report page

7
building licence restrictions is placing a continuous strain upon the
reduced staff of sanitary inspectors, and an attempt to deal with
these complaints can only be made at the expense of other
functions such as the routine inspection of factories and shops. To
cope adequately with the deteriorated condition of property in order
to bring the accommodation back to a reasonable standard of fitness
is a task which would take some years to accomplish with a normal
staff of inspectors and without the difficulties which now handicap
us. In fact, even a return to the pre-war number of inspectors
would be inadequate. It can only be hoped that an easing of the
shortages and the employment of an adequate staff within a reasonable
space of time will enable the Department to take satisfactory
steps to improve the unhappy conditions under which so many of
the public are living at the present time.
The birth-rate of 20.5 per 1,000 of the population was the
highest rate recorded in the Borough for 25 years, whilst the death
rate of infants under one year of age (31.19 per 1,000 live births)
constituted a new low record for the Borough. The death rate was
11.8 as compared with 13.3 in the previous year.
Attendances at the maternity and child welfare centres were
very satisfactory; indeed, the attendances of expectant mothers at
the ante-natal clinics were higher than in any previous year, and
this increasing use of the clinics necessitated commencing additional
sessions. These additional clinic sessions naturally occupy more of
the health visitors' time at the expense of home visiting. Inability
to replace retiring health visitors is also having a serious effect upon
the home visiting work of the health visitors.
Very full use was made of the facilities available in the
centres for artificial sunlight treatment of infants and mothers.
Particulars are given on page 26 of this report of the work
of the gynaecological clinic, which was started in April and which
is serving a very useful purpose in dealing with conditions peculiar
to women such as disorders of pregnancy, post-natal abnormalities
and infertility.
A foot clinic was also opened during the year and very quickly
attained such popularity that additional sessions had to be started.
Particulars of the work done in the foot clinic from the time it was
opened in October are given on page 30.
The Home Helps Service, which has been very considerably
extended during the year under review, and the Day Nursery Service
have both continued to serve the large and growing needs of the
public for these facilities.