View report page

7
Every case notified is referred by the County Medical Officer
to the Tuberculosis Officer (Dr. Bruce), who. then takes
charge of the patient. I have formed a high opinion of his
work and that of his assistants. The patients are placed under
treatment at once and are sent to Sanatoria at the earliest
date possible.
We hear of excellent results from the Working Colony or
Settlement for tuberculosis at Papworth, and shall look forward
to further reports after another year's experience.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
During 1921 17 infants died in their first year (of whom
three were illegitimate), giving an infantile mortality of 527.
The average infantile rate for the past five years has been
467. For England and Wales for 1921 it stood at 83. In
1916 the infantile rate was only 29.7 in Harrow.
The higher rate was probably due to the six infants who
died from congenital causes, and who might easily have been
"stillborn" instead. We may quite hope for a lower rate
when the ante-natal work is more firmly established, and expectant
mothers are taught to realise more fully their responsibilities,
and consult their doctors in time.
The ignorance of the senior schoolgirl and young wife of
their anatomy and internal economy is appalling! One is not
surprised that the question of the desirability for couples about
to marry obtaining a certificate of fitness, after a rigid medical
examination, is again being freely discussed !
THE WATER SUPPLY.
The Harrow district is served by the Colne Valley Water
Company. The supply is constant and, as a rule, good, but in
the lower lying parts of the district the water on first being
drawn became milky, and appeared full of chalk, depositing a
sediment, on being allowed to settle. The matter was brought
before the notice of the Company's Secretary and Manager on
several occasions, explanations were given and some improvement
certainly took place, but at the end of the year the
trouble was often apparent.
Before the War the Colne Valley Water was of excellent
quality, and was moderately soft. During the War and since
there has been a marked hardness and this deposit of chalk,
but the water on analysis is still good, and it is hoped soon
that it will return to pre-war standard.