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In other words a legitimate infant has nearly five times
as much chance of surviving as an illegitimate child. This remains
a great blot on our social life which local authorities can now
remove. The old-fashioned idea of reforming the errant mother by
penalising the innocent child must be abandoned. At present,
unmarried mothers are to a large extent harassed and over-worked
before the child is born and separated from the child after its
birth. As a result an infant which might have been a vigorous
specimen is born ill-prepared for life and often succumbs to the
perils of life with a foster-mother.
Notifiable Diseases. The type of Diphtheria and Scarlet
Fever prevalent continued to be mild and there was no unusual
incidence of these diseases.
Only a small number of Measles cases occurred. 32 cases
of Typhoid Fever were notified, but 25 of these were from Claybury
Mental Hospital.
Influenza. The outstanding feature of the year was the
epidemic of influenza. As the epidemic had not spent its force
until the spring of 1919, it would not be profitable to draw any
elaborate deductions from the figures for 1918 only. One or two
observations may, however, be made.
The disease principally attacked adults in the prime of
life, i.e., from 20 to 50 years of age. The young and the old
did not contract the disease so readily. The disease was frequently
followed by a pneumonia of a dangerous and infectious type. It
was a common occurrence to find a whole family ill at the same time.
No less than 249 persons died of influenza or its complications
It is a surprising thing that the large institutions,
Claybury and West Ham Mental Hospitals, escaped the full force of
the disease and very few deaths were reported. As regards the
means of dealing with the epidemic, the main difficulty was the
shortage of doctors and nurses. Owing to the prevalence of
influenza in the army, it was not found possible to release many
doctors and nurses for civil work, although I myself was granted a
fortnight's leave of absence from the army to help with the civil
work.
The epidemic showed up in a glaring manner our national
lack of organisation in combating disease. Nurses were impossible
to obtain and those available betook themselves to the houses of the
well-to-do, attracted by the high wages current.
The poorer parts of the community were left without
nurses, with disastrous results.
As regards Ilford as much was done as was possible.
Posters and handbills were Issued containing advice as to the
prevention of the disease. The schools were closed from 23rd
October to 9th November. As much paid and voluntary help as
could be obtained was utilised in home-nursing. The accommodation
at the Isolation Hospital only permitted of a few cases being
admitted. Much credit is due to the local doctors for their
untiring efforts to combat the disease.