[Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashington U.D.C.

  • Ashington (Northumberland, England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashington U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    To the Chairman and Councillors of the Urban District of Ashington. Gentlemen, I have once again the privilege of presenting to you my Ninth Annual Report on the Sanitary condition of the Urban District, and on the work of the Health Services for the year 1938. A matter of very great satisfaction, is the continued downward trend of Infantile Mortality, which this year amounts to the very low number of thirty three. One very serious and disturbing factor, however, to this Department, was the rescrudescence of Diphtheria in the groups of children of 1—10 years of age—actually the age groups able to offer least resistance to the onset and complications of this prevent- able disease. This prevalence commenced towards the end of May, 1938 and persisted throughout the remainder of the year, attaining its peak in the months of September and October. Five deaths occurred therefrom, and when it is borne in mind that for several years now, immunisation has been offered, free of charge, at the Council’s Welfare Centre, the occurrence of Diphtheria might be construed as a grave reflection upon those charged with the guardianship of children in all likelihood susceptible, to permit to exist amongst them a malady which need not be present at all. None of the fatal cases had been im- munised , and in point of fact so far, no case of true Diphtheria has occurred in any of the children subjected to preventive inoculation at the Clinics. I should like to point out most emphatically, that should a National Emergency ever occur, the very efficient assistance that at present exists here, might not be so easily come by and might just as easily be greatly curtailed during another possible Diphtheriaepidemic, and this contingency would react most unfavourably on the unprotected children in the community. I would therefore urge, that advantage of the facilities be taken now, whilst the going is good. I would once more place on record, how greatly I have valued the assistance and en- couragement accorded me by all the Members of the Council, and how much I have apprec- iated the willing co-operation and sustained interest of the Members of the Staff of all Departments, in the working of the Public Health Department, during the year, 1938. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant JAMES ANGUS.