[Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Salford County Borough.

  • Salford (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1950
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1950] / Medical Officer of Health, Salford County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/166 (page 4)
    INTRODUCTION To the Chairman and Members of the Health Committee. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present my annual report on the health of the City of Salford for 1950. The health of the people was good, especially when we recall some of the adverse social and environmental factors. I will deal first with the health statistics, the arithmetic of life and death. When we compare our rates with those of other towns and with the country as a whole we must remember the struggle we have to secure reduction of rates of disease and death. We have a smoke polluted air, more houses to the acre than almost anywhere else in England (if we do not hold the unenviable record absolutely); our new housing needs are as great as any other authorities, yet at least three-fifths of our houses show evidence of rapid increase of decay. Over two-fifths of our houses have not those elementary physical requisites of modern child care and healthy family life—the provision of hot water, a properly ventilated food store accommodation and a fixed bath. But we have a cheerful hardworking people. Employment and wages are good. We get excellent co-operation from most of our mothers. When we know our local history—the death rates of mothers and children of fifty and a hundred years ago, the decisive diminution encourages us in the long hard fight against disease. To take one example, we have new weapons in the fight against tuberculosis ; with new drugs, and new services provided under the National Health Service Act, benefits of public health and specialist services can be brought to the people of Salford. Health Statistics. According to the General Registrar’s report for 1950 the estimated popula¬ tion of Salford was 177,700 at mid-year showing a decrease of 1,200 as com¬ pared with the estimated population for 1949. It must not be forgotten that this is an estimate only and that the census figures when published may differ from the estimate of population. The principal points arising out of a study of statistics relating to the City ] for the last two years are as follows :— (1) Birth Rate. The birth rate for 1950 was 18-9 per 1,000 of the popula¬ tion, a decrease of 1 -4 per 1,000 as compared with the year 1949. (The averaeg rate for England and Wales was 15-8 per 1,000 of the population). Salford has always shown a higher birth rate. This factor emphasises our housing defects. (2) Maternal Mortality Rate per 1,000 Total Births. 1949 was the “ wonderful year ” in that there were no deaths of women in pregnancy or childbirth. It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to be able again to report for the second consecutive year that the maternal mortality rate for Salford was nil. This is a very great achievement and reflects the greatest credit on all concerned with the care of the lives of Salford’s mothers. In this instance, we are better than the average for England and Wales—0-86.