[Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Hatfield R.D.C.

  • Hatfield (Hertfordshire, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Hatfield R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/16 (page 7)
    of the Continental system in its entirety will influence the death- rate and incident rates of puerperal fever for the better. I am, therefore, quite unable to support the introduction of State aided midwives. There can be no doubt that the lessened birth-rate in this dis- trict and the stationary rate of infantile mortality are matters of serious import. I have already alluded to my views on the matter, and it appears to me that steps such as are proposed, which must place the lying-in woman and her off-spring under the control of imperfectly educated women cannot be wise. If the great under- lying troubles connected with a very large annual diminution in the increase of healthy citizens are to be dealt with satisfactorily, they can only be dealt with by those who are in touch with the lying-in and parturient women. Speaking with full knowledge of these matters, I cannot sufficiently impress upon you the fact that no one who is unable to speak with authority, and who is influenced in any shape or way by the question of remuneration or advance- ment, is in any position to grapple with the problem satisfactorily. It is a matter of general experience amongst members of the medical profession, that inadequate support is given to those who do, with full knowledge of the subject, try to grapple with the pro- blem, by persons who are in positions to give such support. As a rule, such persons fall back upon Acts of Parliament and new departures, which are, in my opinion, futile, The elements of the problem are not so much medical as ethical; and how many have taken the trouble to grasp the rudiments of ethics ? A reference to Schedule III. shows that there were a consider- able number of cases of scarlet fever during the year in the district of Northaw. The epidemic was of a mild character. Five cases were removed to the Hospital, and the remainder were treated at home. It may be noted that no cases were the results of infection by persons who suffered and were nursed at home. Drainage.—The main drainage of Hatfield has been under your consideration, and a valuable report has been made on the subject, by Mr. Kershaw. Negociations for the purchase of land upon which to treat the sewage of Little Heath are in progress, and it is much to be desired that an early settlement of the matter will be obtained. There has been no change in the methods of removal and dis- posal of house refuse, and the contractors have carried out their duties satisfactorily. There has been one instance of pollution of the river Lea, owing to the defective condition of a filter at Lemsford Mills.