[Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Essex County Council.

  • Essex (England). County Council.
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Essex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/160 (page 23)
    ygiene and feeding in infancy. Lack of mothercraft is more responsible than lack f proper food. The art of cooking is unknown in many homes. The conditions of labour are another important cause of ph] sical defects amongst orkers. The grading of workers was found to rapidly decrease from the age of 18 □wards. 2. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and therefore preventable. A disquieting .ct appeared that many of the recruits found to De suffering from tuberculosis were reviously unknown to the health authorities. The overcrowding in the home, the isanitary environment, inadequate food, and the unhygienic condition of workshops ad factories are the chief causes of tuberculosis. 3. Most of the diseases and degeneration of the heart and blood vessels are due i ) infections of various kinds, rheumatic fever, the specific t'evers, syphilis, and many f them originate in childhood. A comparison of the results of medical inspection of infants and school children fith the above findings gives the clues to necessary action. The “ beginnings of isease ” must be sought for in the early months and years of the individual and opropriate measures must be adopted. It is necessary to emphasise this in :der to clearly bring out the truth that our ante-natal clinics, maternity centres, -rovision of a better midwifery service, medical inspection and treatment of :hool children are a wise and remunerative insurance or capital outlay which will .pay the Country many times over. It is only by these means that the necessity <r enlarging our hospitals, infirmaries and sanatoria for the treatment of sick adults 'ill be obviated. PART III. WATER SUPPLIES. Sources. In a Eural County like Essex, where there are no elevated uplands or extensive Iioorlands, varieties in water supplies are to be expected, and may be summarised as eing derived from two sources, namely :— (a) Sub-soil water, which is obtainable from the numerous beds of sand and gravel, and wells sunk therein or springs at their borders, supply a considerable portion of the rural population and a few Urban Districts (wholly or in part). (b) Deep loell loater, which is obtainable everywhere, but often in limited quantities or of unsuitable quality for drinking purposes.