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8
Factories and workshops
Thirteen factories were visited by the Medical Officer, and 566 immediate contacts of active cases were
encouraged to attend for examination; 164 went to the Mass X-ray Unit at the Central Middlesex Hospital;
Mass X-ray Unit 5A visited two factories at the request of the Medical Officer and examined 280; Unit
5B visited another factory and examined_122. One active case was discovered and referred to the Ealing
Chest Clinic for treatment; four other cases with a bnormalities of heart or lungs were referred to their
private medical practitioners. Seven factories were revisited at six-monthly intervals to encourage contacts
of old cases to attend for re-examination; 119 workers went to the Central Middlesex Hospital and 693 were
examined by Units 5A and 5B. They were all found to be satisfactory.
Co-operation
At the request of the Chest Physician special visits have been paid by the Medical Officer and his
Deputy to the homes of cases who failed to report for regular treatment. All their visits have been successful
and treatment has been resumed. In one case compassionate leave from the Forces was obtained for a patient's
son so that he could run his father's business until other arrangements could be made.
The need for integration of all services provided by Chest Physician, Medical Officer of Health,
Welfare Officers, Disablement Resettlement Officer and Home Visitors is self-evident when dealing with
diseases having such wide social implications as tuberculosis, bronchitis and cancer. The closest co-operation
between all services for the patients and their families has continued throughout the year.
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA
Water
The Metropolitan Water Board and the Colne Valley Water Company supply Willesden with pure
water.
Sewage and drainage
Most of the sewage of the borough is discharged into the London County Council main sewers, but
a small amount from the Park Royal area is discharged into the West Middlesex Main Drainage system.
Refuse disposal
The Borough Engineer's Department deals with the provision of dustbins.
Refuse is disposed of by controlled tipping at Twyford ; house refuse is collected weekly and trade
refuse as often as required at an agreed charge.
Household arrangements
The census report for the County of Middlesex 1951 and the Housing Report for England and Wales
showed clearly Willesden's housing problems as compared with the rest of the country (see report for 1956).
(a) Shared dwellings and overcrowding
About six out of ten households in Willesden share a dwelling. This is higher than the average for
the county and for Greater London (about three out of ten) and much higher than England and Wales (less
than two out of ten).
The number of persons per room is higher than that of Greater London, England and Wales, and
any district in the county, and the percentage of population and of households at densities over 1½ and 2
persons per room is the highest in the county, in some instances the percentage is more than double.
(b) Bathrooms
The proportion of households either sharing o r without a fixed bath (six out of ten) is almost double
that of the average of the county, and is much higher than that of Greater London and England and Wales
(about four out of ten).
The proportion sharing or without a water cl oset, cooking stove or a kitchen sink is higher than the
average for the County of Middlesex.
Gardens
Willesden is poorly equipped with public open spaces; 242 acres compared with an estimated need
of 1,313 acres ; yet one in four families have no garden at all, and a large number have to share a garden.