[Report 1944] / Medical Officer of Health, Dover Town and Port.

  • Dover (England). Town and Port Council.
Date:
1944
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1944] / Medical Officer of Health, Dover Town and Port. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    -2- Under the Maternity Beds Scheme 55 cases were admitted to hospital due either to complicated labour, unsuitable hone conditions or complications duo to pregnancy, such as toxaemia, etc. Under the Government Evacuation Scheme 128 expectant mothers availed themselves of the facilities and were sent to homes at Tunbridge Wells and Derbyshire, where they wore enabled to have their confinement safe from enemy shells a d bombs. It is possible that this scheme will come to an end next year, and it is to be hoped that some other provision will bo made, either at the Royal Victoria Hospital or the County Hospital, for those casos desirous of having their confinement in a Maternity Home, rather than in their own home which, owing to war damage or overcrowding, may bo unsuitable. Infantile Mortality for the year comprised 21 eases as against 12 for the previous year. Tho principal causes of death in children under one year have for some considerable time, been three in number - (1) Prematurity and congenital malformations, (2) Respiratory, (5; Alimentary. The past twenty years has sC'jn a marked decrease in mortality at this age period, which I consider is due to a large extent to the teaching of motncrcraft at the centres, as a result of which there is better maternal care of tho now born child. C. Health Visitors carried out their duties of home visiting under great airncuities, ana at no little personal risk. Visiting the homes is a most important branch of their work, as it enables the mother to consult them in matters concerning horseIf and the ho tho family. It also gives a more friendly and private interval would be possible at a busy elinie. In spite of enemy shelling visits wore recorded. 0 ch ot than 500 D. Nutrition. It is an established fact that tho standard of nutrition in tho child population is a most important index to the health of the community. Reports from the Welfare centres and School Medical Service showed that, in spite of tho vicissitudes encountered by the population during five years of living under war conditions, thoro was no evidence of deterioration. A special investigation was carried out by two nutritional exports from *he Ministry. They took a selected cross section of tho population, tho ages ranging from 6 months to 70 years of age. They did not discover one single case of bad nutrition, which I consider to bo a testimonial to the scientific rationing of food and tho issuo of essential vitamins to children and expectant mothers. I would like to draw attention to tho Senior Sanitary Inspector's report which contains much interesting data in connection with the extra work carried out as tho result of enemy action. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to thank you for the courteous and helpful manner in which you have dealt with the various problems during the course of tho year. I should also like to take this opportunity of proferring my sincere thanks to each member of the staff for nis or her constant andlpval support, and expressing my admiration for the fortitude exhibited when potential danger was close at hand. With a staff possessing these qualities it was possible to maintain tho Health services of the Borough during the fifth year of totalitarian war. I amf Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, T. J. NICHOLL Medical Officer of Health.