[Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Abergavenny Borough.

  • Abergavenny (Wales). Borough Council.
Date:
1951
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Abergavenny Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Although the estimated population of the Borough in 1951 shows a slight increase, it has remained relatively static in numbers for many years. But it would appear that there has been a change in the age distribution. Due to an overall decline in the birth-rate (181 in 1951 against 24'3 in 1901) during the present century, there are fewer younger members in the community, whereas a longer expectation of life has increased the ranks of the elderly. With this changing pattern in age distribution, the problem of providing adequate care, both socially and medically for the increasing numbers of old people has become progressively larger. Here, the Local Authority can play its part. As the majority of the aged prefer to live in their homes, I beg to draw the attention of the Housing Authority to the need for providing more bungalows and flats exclusively to old people. At the same time, care should be taken that the old people are not segregated. The need for improving the arrangements for feeding old people, by means of meals on wheels, etc., should be emphasised. With one exception, the sanitary conditions in the town are satisfactory. May I draw the attention of the Local Authority to the necessity for establishing new Sewage Disposal Works within the Borough. The present method is both antiquated and ineffective. From a public health aspect it should be sufficient to say that there can be definite danger to health when a river, in this case, the River Usk becomes polluted with sewage. Maternity and Child Welfare. Leven House, Lion Street, was occupied in August, 1951, for the purposes of the No. 10 Area Health Office. At the same time, accommodation was made available for the maternity and child welfare clinics. The Infant Welfare Clinic is held on the Tuesday of each week, and Ante-natal Clinic on alternate Tuesdays. Mothers and children under 5 years of age from the Borough of Abergavenny and from the Rural District may attend at these Clinics. There are two Health Visitors and a Dodlor in attendance. I wish to stress here the importance of early and regular attendance of expectant mothers at the ante-natal clinic, so that any departure from the normal may be detected as soon as possible, and