London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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figures for England and Wales showed a decrease of the rate in respect of pulmonary tuberculosis but a continuing increase in the death rate for lung cancer. The following table shows the trend in these diseases since the end of the war:-
| Year | England and wales | Kensington | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | Cancer of the lung | Pulmonary Tuberculosis | Cancer of the lung | |||||
| Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | |
| 1947 | 19,753 | 47.3 | 9,204 | 71 | 43.0 | 58 | 34.9 | |
| 1948 | 18,798 | 44.0 | 76 | 45.0 | 45 | |||
| 1949 | 17,471 | 40.5 | 10,975 | 25.5 | 56 | 50 | 28.7 | |
| 1950 | 14,079 | 32.1 | 52 | 70 | 39.4 | |||
| 1951 | 12,031 | 27.5 | 13,247 | 36 | 17.5 | 70 | 40.9 | |
| 1952 | 9,335 | 21.2 | 14,218 | 32.3 | 29 | 16.8 | 71 | 41.1 |
| 1953 | 7,913 | 17.9 | 34.3 | 26 | 15.1 | 65 | 37.9 | |
| 1954 | 7,069 | 16.0 | 36.9 | 20 | 11.7 | 72 | 42.2 | |
| 1955 | 5,838 | 13.1 | 38.9 | 12 | 7.1 | 73 | 43.1 | |
| 1956 | 4,851 | 10.9 | 18,185 | 40.7 | 19 | 11.2 | 73 | 43.2 |
| 1957 | 4,250 | 9.5 | 19,118 | 13 | 7.7 | 90 | 53.6 | |
| 1958 | 4,000 | 8.9 | 19,809 | 43.9 | 10 | 6.0 | 79 | 47.7 |
| 1959 | 3,475 | 7.7 | 9 | 5.4 | 75 | 45.0 | ||
(Death rates quoted above are per 100,000 population)
It is of interest to note that whilst the death rate from lung
cancer for the country as a whole has been increasing in recent years, the
rate for Kensington has been fairly steady for a number of years, with the
exception of 1957, when a marked increase was recorded.
Housing. During the year under review, progress was made in
carrying out the slum clearance programme for 1955/60 which the Council
adopted in collaboration with the London County Council, and which was
approved by the Minister of Housing and Local Government. The progress
made over the past few years made it desirable for the Council to re-state
their slum clearance programme, and the following table gives the current
programme as approved by the Council on 8th November, 1959:-
Railway Mews 10 premises
Kensington Park Mews 13 "
Stanley Gardens Mews 4 "
Lecky Street 5 "
Portland Road 16 "
Penelon Place, Ashley Cottages
and Warwick Road 66 "
Kensal New Town 516 "
Portobello Road, Telford Road 18 "
Of these slum areas the County Council assumed responsibility for the
clearance of 66 premises in the Penelon Place/Warwick Road area, and have
dealt with the demolition. The future development of the area will be
carried out jointly by the County Council and the Borough Council.