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whooping cough, which mainly are children's illnesses,
the incidence of infectious disease was lower in 1951,
compared with that for the previous year. The notifications
of diphtheria (1 case), scarlet fever (68), scabies (34),
erysipelas (13) and ophthalmia neonatorum (2), were in
each case the lowest annual figures ever recorded in
Kensington.
Tuberculosis. New cases of tuberculosis notified for
the first time numbered 238 in 1951 compared with 278 in
1950 and 266 in 1949. Whilst the number of cases of
tuberculosis recorded in the notification register for
Kensington increased during 1951 from 1,246 at the 1st
January to 1,342 at the 31st December, the death rate (21)
from all forms of tuberculosis for the year was the lowest
ever recorded in the borough. The rate in 1950 was 33
deaths per 100,000 population. During the year under
review, the department's activities in connection with the
environmental aspects of tuberculosis were intensified.
Each newly notified or incoming patient was visited and
detailed enquiries made regarding housing and sanitary
conditions, the source of infection and measures being
taken to prevent its spread. In this regard, advice was
given and any necessary action taken to improve living
conditions.
It will be seen from the foregoing remarks that
statistically the position is encouraging and that in the
main the health of the inhabitants of the Royal Borough
continues to be maintained at a satisfactory level.
Nevertheless there are many residents whose environmental
conditions cannot be regarded with equanimity.
Repair of houses. As reported in last year's Report,
the problem of maintaining existing dwelling houses in a
reasonable state of habitation is still the most urgent
confronting the Council at the present time. A great deal
of national and local consideration has been given to the
question of relating rents, which are still controlled, to
the rising cost of repairs. There is no doubt that owners
of rent-controlled properties are finding it very
difficult to carry out necessary repairs to old houses owing
to comparatively low rents.
The important work of maintaining existing dwelling
houses in a reasonable state of habitation is becoming more
and more difficult to carry out. Work under Section 9
of the Housing Act, 1936, which empowers the Council to
require the repair of unfit houses, providing the cost of
the works is reasonable, is gradually coming to a standstill.
In the five years before the war, the average number of
houses repaired under Housing Acts was 180. The numbers
so repaired in the last five years are as follows
Houses Repaired Notices Served
1951 62 21
1950 116 65
1949 98 94
1948 87 121
1947 43 93
If Housing Act procedure becomes impracticable owing
to economic factors, the Council's statutory powers to
repair houses will be limited to the nuisance sections of
the Public Health (London) Act, 1936. For various reasons
an adequate repair standard cannot be achieved under the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, but, of course, action