POP 47 METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF POPLAR INTERIM ANNUAL REPORT on the health of the Borough during 1941 by W. ALLAN YOUNG, D.S.O., Ch.B., Medical Officer of Health, Public Health Department, Poplar Town Hall, Bow Road, E.3. 16th July, 1942, To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar. Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen, In accordance with the Ministry of Health Circular 2604 (England, this Report for the year "1941 is, like those for the years 1939 and 1940, an abridged Interim Report. Summaries of the principal vital and other statistics are included in the Report. Although the numbers of births and deaths were fewer than those of the previous year the corresponding rates are higher. This is particularly noticeable in the case of the Infant Mortality Rate for, as will be seen by the figures on page 2, the total number of births was 969 but the figure used in calculating the rate was only 662. Had the rate been based on the higher figure it would have been the surprisingly low one of 33 (as against 48) compared v/ith the average of 63 for the ten years 1929-1938, Infectious disease was, as might bo expected with a greatly reduced population. very much lees than in the previous year, the only exceptions being Measles and Whooping Cough. With regard to the Maternity and Child Welfare and the Tuberculosis services, some of the clinics which had been discontinued owing to war conditions have been resumed and a clinic for immunisation against diphtheria was commenced early in the year. These are referred to in the Report. As the attendances at the Maternity and Child Welfare clinics have increased the number of clinics has been added to during 1942. The number of personnel who have joined the various Services up to date is .. . 2 Health Visitors, 1 Sanitary Inspector, 5 Sanitary inspectors' Assistants, 6 Clerks, 4 Disinfecting Department staff. I wish to thank the personnel of the Public Health Department for their help and co-operation during the year, I am, Sir, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, W. ALLAN YOUNG , Medical Officer of Health. 2 STATISTIOS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS. AREA. 2,136 acres. POPULATION. Census 1931 155,089 Registrar-General's estimated Civil Population 1941 52,570 LIFE BIRTHS. Total. Males. Females. Legitimate 940 475 465 Birth rate 18.4 per 1,000 of the estimated Civil Population. Illegitimate 29 14 15 969 489 480 The figures for calculating the Infantile and Maternal Mortality Rates are: Legitimate 633 309 324 Illegitimate 29 14 15 662 323 339 STILL BIRTHS. Total. Males. Females. 21 12 9 Rate per 1,000 total births 21.2 DEATHS. total. Males. Females. 1165 675 490 Death rate per 1,000 of the estimated Civil Population 22.2 DEATHS FROM PUERPERAL CAUSES. Puerperal sepsis 1 ) Rate per 1,000 total births Other puerperal causes - ) 1.47 INFANTILE MORTALITY RATE. All infants per 1,000 live births 48 Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate births 46 Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate births 103 CLASSIFICATION OF DEATHS. The causes of deaths, classified by the RogistrarGeneral are as follows typhoid and paratyphoid fevers 2; cerebrospinal fever 2; scarlet fever 0; whooping oough 2; diphtheria 3; tuberculosis of respiratory system 71; other forms of tuberculosis 10; syphilitic diseases 13; influenza 9; measles 2; acute poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis 0; acute infectious encephalitis 1; cancor of (a) buccal cavity and oesophagus.11;(b) uterus 5; (c) stomach and duodenum 17; (d) breast 9; (a) all other sites 74; diabetes 7; intracranial vascular lesions 50; heart disease 237; other diseases of the circulatory system 59; bronchitis 84; pneumonia 63; other repiratory diseases 16; ulcer of stomach or duodenum 18; diarrhoea (under 2 years of age) 2; appendicitis 0; other digestive diseases 10; nephritis 26; puerperal and post-abortive sepsis 1; other maternal causes 0; premature birth 6; congenital malformations^. birth injury and infantile diseases 9; suicide 3; road traffic accidents 7; other violent causes 276; all Other causes 60. TOTAL DEATHS AT ALL AGES 1165. ft 3 INFANTILE MORTALITY. There were 32 deaths of infants under one year of age, the causes being as follows:- cerebrospinal fever 1; bronchitis 7; pneumonia 5; diarrhoea 2; premature birth 6; congenital malformations, etc. 7; violence 2: other causes 2; GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE AREA. NURSING- IN THE HOME. The number of visits paid to cases by the nurses from nursing associations was 860. WELFARE CENTRES. Clinics (Maternity and Child Welfare) (a) Borough Council: Ruston street Ante-natal Tuesday mornings. Infant Consultations Thursday mornings. Simpsons Road Health Visitor in attendance for advice Wednesdays 1.30-3.30. 54 West Ferry Road Infant Consultations Wednesdays 1.30-3.30 (b) Royal College of St.Katharine: Trinity Hall Infant Consultations Wednesdays 10-12.30 children's House,Eagling Road Infant Consultations Thursdays 10-12.30 The numbers of attendances at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres were Borough Council. Royal College, of Total. 6,251 2,869 '9,120 VISITS PAID BY HEALTH VISITORS. The numbers of visits paid by Health Visitors were:- Borough Councils, Royal College of total 19,785 20,857 40,642 CHILD LIFE PROTECTION. Visits to fOSTER Mothers and Children 12. Foster Mothers under supervision during 1941 3. Foster Children " M " w 3. StERILE MATERRNITY OUTFITS. no outfits were issued during the year. OBSTETRIC CONSULTARIES It was not necessary to call in a Consultant during the year. c0NVALESCENT tREANMENT No cases were sent away during the year. 4 CLOTHING COUPONS FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS. In accordance with circuilars issued by thE Board of Trade arrangements were made for the distribution of clothing vouChers for expectant mothers. MILK SCHEME (Maternity and child Welfare) 364 applications for free milk were received and 348 wore granted. Orders for 1,276 pounds of dried milk wore issued. In addition, 102 packets of dried Milk were supplied at cost price, DISTRIBUTION OF COD LIVER oIL AND Fruit JUICES. A scheme of co-operation for the distribution of those preparations has been arranged with the Local Deputy Food Executive Officer. The preparations are distributed fron 5 centres on different days and a member of the Food Office staff attends the Centres and is responsible for distribution. Health Visitors also attend tho Distributing Centres, to see that things are running snoothly. The scheme is brought to the notice of parents of eligible children by the Health Visitors during their hone visitations. SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE Area full As in the previous year/routine work could not be maintained with many of the staff assigned to other duties but approximately 17,000 inspections and reinspections were nade by tho Distriot Sanitary Inspectors. Visits to air raid shelters numbered 9,532. Disimfestation: number of rooms disinfested 2,203; nunber of articles disinfested 13,909; total number of inspections 2,710. HOUSING. The Housing Inspectors, like the District Sanitary Inspectors, were assigned to duties in connection with the Casualty Services and when not so engaged deputised for tho District Inspectors. INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD. The Meat and Food Inspectors made 3,274 inspections of premises where food is prepared, stored or sold. REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYSTS. The number of samples examined was 622 and the number adulterated was 28, a percentage of 4.5. The average numbers oxa???d and percentage of adultorated sanples for the ten years 1932-1941 wore 758 and 4.1 respectively. ; PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS AMD OTHER DISEASES. With the exceptions of Measles and Whooping Cough infectious diseases were much less prevalent than in 1940. NOTIFICATIONS (corrected for "altered diagnosis" cases) Cases. Deaths. Scarlet fever 32 • Diphtheria 42 3 Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers 4 2 @ Erysipelas 30 1 Puerperal fever 3 1 Puerperal pyrexia 4 • Cerebrospinal fever 12 2 Ophthalmia neonatorum 4 • Measlos 258 2 Whooping cough 169 2 Primary pneumonia 44 8 x Influenzal pneumonia 14 1 X 5 Dysentery 2 • Zymotic enteritis 7 2 Acute poliomyelitis 1 • Malaria 2 • Encephalitis • 1 (b) 630 @ not notified, reported 'by Coroner; (b) not notified, innate of Mental Hospital outside London; x notified patients only. IMMUNISATION AGAINST DIPHTHERIA. An experinental clinic was opened at Wellington Way on 22nd January, 1941, and has been continued on Wednesday afternoons. The inoculations are given by one of the Assistant Medical Officers of Health. At 31st December, 588 certificates had been issued; 209 children under 5 years of ago and 379 Children over 5 years. The establishment of this clinic automatically terminated the arrangements made with the Hackney Borough Council some years ago. The records of certificates, etc. received from Hackney during 1941 were : Cases referred to Hackney 37 Certificates of immunisation received 22 Certificates of natural immunity 10 Treatment incomplete on account of removal 75 Re-Schick only TUberculosis. From the beginning of the year to March, sessions at the Tuberculosis' Dispensary had been, suspended on account of war damage to the premises in 1940. The following sessions were inaugurated or resumed during the year from 3rd March Tuesdays 2 p.m. Fridays 10 a.m. from 31st March Monday evening session. from 1st November Saturday afternoon (first Saturday in each month) from 20th November Thursday afternoon session resumed. Numbsr of new cases and contacts examined 268 (Tuberculous 89; non-tuberculous 164; diagnosis incomplete 15). Number of attendances at the Dispensary 1290 Number of visits to homes by Health Visitors 4,904 Number of sputum specimens examined 259 Number of X-ray examinations at St. Andrews Hospital 182 NUMBER OF NEW CASES AND DEATHS. the number of new cases notified and of deaths during the year were:- New Cases. Deaths. Pulmonary 148 71 Other forms 16 10 Death rates per 1,000 population: Pulmonary 1.35 Other forms 0.19 Total. 1.54 The number of cases of Tuberculosis on the register at December 31st 639 The number of cases on the Tuberculosis Dispensary register: Definitely Tuberculous 440 (T.B.plus 214) Diagnosis not completed 15 455. PUBLIC EDUCATION IN HEALTH. 136 lectures ware given, the attendances totalling 8,497.