[Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-under-Lyne Borough.

  • Ashton-under-Lyne (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-under-Lyne Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TOWN HALL CHAMBERS, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. MR. MAYOR, MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I beg to submit my report on the health of the Borough for the year 1946. A brief resume of the vital statistics gives encouraging read- ing in so far as they are barometers of the communal health. A rapidly rising birth-rate, a slightly falling death-rate, a diminish- ing death-rate from Tuberculosis and Cancer, coupled with a substantial fall in the maternal mortality rate, are all on the credit side, whilst the infantile mortality rate alone has not shown a diminution, though it has decreased in comparison with the previous five-year period. Furthermore, there have been no epidemics during the year, and the incidence of Diphtheria has been less than half what it was in 1945. The work of the Health Visitors has been carried out during the year, whilst attendances at the various Welfare Centres show no diminution. A post-war feature has appeared under the aegis of the Maternity and Child Welfare Department which was “born of necessity” out of the employment of women in war work, namely, Day Nurseries. It is hoped that the conditions which brought these into existence will soon pass away and render their continuance unnecessary. Protection against Diphtheria, whilst making slow progress at our clinics, might be hastened were more carried out by their private doctors. The total percentage of the child population aged 0—15 years is 58 per cent. It need hardly be mentioned in this place that the most urgent health measure in the town is the provision of more houses and the eradication of much slum property. The next most urgent environmental problem is the eradica- tion of the smoke menace in this area. Commending this report to your notice, I have the honour to be Your obedient servant, ALAN S. SIMPSON, Medical Officer of Health.