FRI 19 LIBRARY FRIERN BARNET URBAN ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1941 G. PENNANT EVANS. M. R. C. S., L. R. C. P. MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. k -1- FRIERN BARNET URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. Public Hea1th Department, Town Hall, N. 11. To the Chairman and Members of the Friern Barnet Urban District Council. Gentlemen, This report is prepared in accordance with instructions contained in Circular 2604 of the 24th March 1942, and will differ from the general scheme of previous reports, inasmuch as no figures will be given from which an estimate of the population of the district or its wards can be inferred, and no data supplied by the Registrar General will be included. There has not been anything detrimental to affect the general health of the district, during the year, and with the exception of a rise above our normal in the incidence of Diphtheria, which is the highest for some years past, the incidence of the usual notifiable diseases has been remarkably low. Measles and Whooping Cough were prevalent throughout the winter, but did not reach epidemeic proportions. There were not any deaths, and very few complications, only three cases requiring hospital treatment. Of 49 notified cases of Diphtheria, 48 were treated in hospital, and in addition 15 persons not showing clinical diphtheria were proved carriers of the infection, and were treated in hospital. In accordance with the policy of the Ministry of Health, attificial immunisation of persons against Diphtheria was amplified by the establishment of a clinic in April 1941. The service was well advertised by press notices, pamphlets, and- pictorial posters, and facilities provided for treatment at the Holly Park Clinic on the 1st. and 3rd. Fridays in the month. With the co-operation of the child welfare clinic and the assistance of the school teachers, the school children were supplied with pamphlets and consent forms for the parents. There was an outbreak of the disease amongst the scholars of the Hollickwood school, and Dr. Stephen the School Medical Officer, swabbed the throats of contacts and revealed a number of carriers. A special clinic for Diphtheria Prophylaxis was arranged for at the school. Fortunately, the disease was of a very mild typo, only two deaths occurred, neither in persons of school age, one being a very young child, and the other an adult. The total number of persons who received a complete course of treatment for immunisation was 456. Of the notified cases, five had received a complete course of immunisation, and two had received one injection of 0.3 cc. of A. P. T. Of the 15 carriers, two had received a complete course of immunisation, and two had received one injection of 0.3 cc. of A. P. T. I have to acknowledge valuable co-operation and assistance from Dr. Stephen in the immunisation work. -2- Deaths. The number is above the average, producing a rather high death rate, for this district. As usual heart disease and cancer cancer were the principal causes of death, the former amongst the older age groups. Births. The full number of births amongst residents has not been received from the Registrar General, but judging from the number registered as taking place within the district, There has been one maternal death from puerperal sepsis, and only 15 deaths in infants under one year of age. Sanitary Administration. Your Sanitary Inspector has had to continue the general sanitary administration, with clerical assistance only. Routine inspections under the Housing Act have been impossible, owing to depletion of staff, and repairs to dwellings beyond those absolutely essential for the abatement of nuisances, difficult to carry out, owing to scarcity of proper building materials .and skilled labour. T:inspection of food premises and examinations of foodstuffs has taken considerable time, and required careful judgement, for the proper use of every available foodstuff. One has to regret the gradual deterioration taking place in the structural condition of the older dwelling houses in the district, especially where they have been subjected to bomb blast. War damage repairs, even where they have been carried,out at considerable expense, have not been sufficient to make these old houses comfortable in wintry weather, and it is doubtful whether these houses will ever again be in all respects fit for human habitation. In a considerable number of instances it is only the shortage of housing accomodation that is the cause of these houses having occupiers. Where houses become un-occupied they rapidly become unfit for human habitation due to the destruction of windows, doors and roofs, by the elder school children and adolescents, who apparently get a thrill by smashing up anything breakable. I am, your obedient servant, G. Pennant Evans. Medical Officer of Health. -3- NO. OF DWELLING HOUSES INSPECTED (seperate primary inspections (1.)On Complaint 420 (2). On notification of infectious disease 141 (3). Re Tuberculosis - Visits to foodshops 84 " " Dairies aid Milkshops 8 " " Slaughterhouses 1 " re Shops Act 12 " to Factories and Workshops " re P-traleum Acts 2 " to Watercourses 5 " for disinfection 83 "re Housing Act 1936 4 " re Disinfestation and to verminous premises 13 " re Rat Infestation 2 Appointments and special visits 310 Re-inspections and visits to Works in progress 590 Attendance at Court (petty Sessions and County Court) 3 1684 Total visits and inspections for 1940 2726 " " " " " 1939 2344 " " " " " 1933 2753 " " " " " 1937 3192 HOUSING STATISTICS. 1. Inspection of Dwelling-houses during the year;- 1. (a) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Act) 05 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 227 2. Number of dwelling houses found not to be in all respects reasonably fir for human habitation 89 2. Remedy of defects without service of formal notice;- Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their1 offices 82 3. Action under Statutory Powers;- A. Proceedings under sections 9, 10 & 16 of the Housing Act 1936;- (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs 1 (2) Number of dwelling-houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices;- (a) By owners 1 (b) By Local Authority in default of owners 0 B. Proceeding under Public Health Acts;(1)Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices wore served requiring defects to be remedied 12 (2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notice;- (a) By owners 12 (fr) By Local Authority in default of owners 0 -4- The following is a summary of the sanitary improvements and defects remedied during the year;- Water Store cisterns provided, repaired, cleansed or covers provided 3 Fitting and services repaired 3 Drainage Drains cleared or repaired 15 Inspection chambers cleansed, repaired etc., 3 soil and went pipes repaired 2 New sink wastes pipes provided 1 Sink wastes repaaired 2 w. c. W. C. pans and traps fixed 17 i W. C. pans and trap repaired 2 W.C seats, doors, windows, floors renewed or repaired 1 Walls cleansed and distempered 0 Ceilings cleansed and distempored 1 Flushing cisterns provided 1 Flushing cisterns repaired or regulated 7 Floors. Floors repaired 2 Roofs. Stripped and renewed 1 Repaired 20 Gutters and downspouts renewed or repaired 14 Cleansing Walls repaired, cleansed, distempered or papered 7 Ceiling repaired or renewed 11 New ceiling 0 Windows sashes and frames repaired or renewed 4 Cills repaired or renewed 3 sashcord provided (number of houses) 1 Brickwork Damp-proof courses provided 2 Brickwork repaired 2 Chimney stacks rebuilt or repaired 4 Dampness in walls remedied 2 Walls re-pointed or rendered 2 Refuse Dusbins provided 11 Accumulation of refuse provided 1 General New range and grates provided 3 Range and grates repaired 2 Other defects (unclassified) 5 Verminous rooms cleansed 1 146 INSPECTION ALTS SUPERVISION OF FOOD. milk The following licences were issued under the Milk (Special Designations) Order 1933;- Pasteurised 3 Accredited 1 Grade A (Tuberculin Tested 6 Pasteuriser's 1 —5— Moat and other foods. The following foodstuffs were surrendered as unfit for human consumption;- 360 eggs. 6 ozs. Ox Tongue (tinned). 12 ozs. Mor Pork Heat (tinned). 46 lbs. Beef Milts. 10 lbs. Beef liver. 23 lbs. Offals. 33 lbs. Top Beef. 293 lbs. Rump Beef. 32 Tins Evaporated and Condensed Milk. Infectious and Other Diseases. Particulars of the number of notifiable diseases are to be found in Table 1. TABLE 1. ANALYSIS CASES OF NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES NOTIFIED DURING THE YEAR ENDING 31st. DECEMBER 1941 Disease. Number of cases notified Cases in each Ward. No. removed to Hospital. All . Unit 1-5 5-15 15-25 25-45 45-65 65 & 0 North. South Central Friern Hospital Scarlet Fever 33 - 3 36 3 1 - - 18 7 7 1 25 Diphtheria 49 - 12 17 12 8 - - 10 30 8 1 48 Pneumonia 27 1 2 1 4 7 9 3 2 2 15 8 - Measles 165 10 59 90 6 - - - 106 31 28 - - Whooping Cough 154 13 78 59 1 2 1 - 64 32 58 - 3 Ophthalmia Neonatorum 2 2 - - - - - - - 1 - 1 1 Erysipelas 4 - - - - - 2 2 - - - 4 - Dysentery 3 - - - - 2 1 - - - - 3 - Cerebro-spinalfever 4 - 1 2 - - 1 - 2 - 1 1 2 Puerperal Pyrexia 1 - - - - 1 - - 1 - - - 1 Menenigitis 1 - 1 - - - - - - 1 - - 1 Polio-encephalitis 1 - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 - Typhoid 14 - - 2 1 9 2 - - - 3 12 2 Polio-myelitis 1 - - 1 - - - - - 1 - - 1 Chicken-pox 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - 1 Pulm. Tuberculosis 29 - - 1 6 17 5 - 13 4 9 3 - Other Tuberculosis 6 - - 1 3 - 2 - 3 - 2 1 - TOTALS 495 26 156 200 37 48 23 5 219 109 131 36 85 Table2 ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF AND AGES AT DEATH DURING THE YEAR 1941 FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT. Causes of Death No. Regd. Out Tran. In Tran. m. .. F. Nett Deaths. C-1 1-2 2-5 5-15 15-25 25-45 45-65 65 & 0 N. s. C. H. Appendicitis - - - — - - 2 1 1 1 - - - 2 1 1 2 Bronchitis 15 2 - - - - - 7 8 4 3 5 5 5 2 12 5 12 Cancer 57 - - - - - 7 42 30 15 18 6 10 40 22 45 34 39 Cerebral Haemorrhage 10 - - - 1 - - 6 11 6 5 4 3 3 8 8 10 15 Cirrhosis of Liver 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - — 1 1 — 1 — - Congenital debility etc 4 9 - - 1 - - - - 2 2 3 3 3 6 4 6 7 Diarrhoea - 1 - - - - - - - - - 1 - "" 1 1 - 1 Diabetes 1 — - - - - 1 2 - 1 1 - 1 1 2 - 3 2 Diphtheria - - - — 1 1 - - - 2 - - - - 2 1 1 2 General Paralysis 1 - - - - - - - 3 _ 1 2 1 2 - 3 2 Heart Disease 82 — - - - 2 3 24 76 27 14 24 45 43 28 43 67 67 Influenza 1 - — - - - 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 1 1 Nephritis 18 - - - - - 2 13 5 3 1 2 L4 14 2 12 8 6 Other circulatory diseases 24 - - - - - — 12 14 5 1 2 18 18 2 13 13 3 Other defined diseases 47 — 2 - 3 1 15 21 20 - 4 9 12 42 15 37 25 20 Other digestive diseaseS 2 - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - 2 2 - 1 1 - Other Tubercular diseases - - - 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 - - 3 2 1 3 Other Violence 13 - - - - - 2 4 12 1 2 6 9 9 5 7 11 9 Peptic Ulcef 1 - - - — — - - 1 - l - - - - 1 - 1 Pneumonia 41 3 3 - — - 9 26 25 8 14 10 34 35 35 41 25 51 Puerperal Sepsis - - - - - - 1 - - 1 - - - - 1 - 1 1 Senility 5 - - _ - - - - 8 5 — 1 2 2 3 2 6 6 Suicide 2 - - — — - 1 1 - - 2 - - - 2 - 2 Syphilis 3 - - - ~~ ~ 3 - ~ - 3 3 - 2 1 - Tuberculosis of Resp. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - System 13 - - - - 2 6 6 — - 1 1 12 12 1 5 9 2 War Operations. 6 - — — — , - 2 2 2 1 - - 1 6 6 1 2 5 1 i TOTALS 347 15 5 1 6 10 55 174 214 90 69 79 242 240 133 243 d ! 237 240 TABLE 3 ANALYSIS OF NEW CASES OF TUBERCULOSIS NOTIFIED DURING 1941 AND THE MORTALITY FROM THE SAME DIS3ASC OVER THE SAME PERIOD. Ages. New Cases. Deaths. Pulmonary non-pulmonary Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary Moles Females Males Females Males Females Males Females. 0-1 - - - - - - - - 1-5 - - - - - - - 1 5-10 - - - - - - - - 10- 15 - - 1 - - - - 15- 20 2 2 - - - 1 1 - 20- 25 1 1 1 2 ~ - - - 25- 35 7 3 - l - 2 - - 35- 45 5 2 - - - - - 45- 55 4 - 2 ! - - - 55- 65 1 - - - 1 - - - 65 & over - - - — - - - - TOTALS 20 8 4 3 1 3 1 1 TABLE 4 INFANTILE MORTALITY NETT DEATHS 73OH STATED CAUSES AT VARIOUS AGES UNDER 1 YEAR 07 AGE 1941. UNDER 1 week 1-2 weeks 2-3 weeks 3-4 weeks Total under 4 weeks. 4 weeks and under 3 months 3 months and under 6 months 6 months and under 9 months 9 months and under 12 months. Total under 1 year. [All causes;Certified un-certified 7 1 - - 8 1 3 2 1 15 - - - - - - - - - - Bronchitis - - - - - 1 1 - 1 2 Congenital defect - - - - - - 1 - - 1 Diarrhoea - - - - - - 1 - - 1 Malformation 1 - ~ - 1 - - - i : 1 Pemphigus Neonatorum - 1 - — 1 - - - — 1 Pneumonia - - - - - - - 2 1 3 Prematurity 6 - - - 6 - - - - 6