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5
It will be seen that in 1947 the death rates from pulmonary
tuberculosis for both England and Wales and Kensington were much
higher than those for lung cancer, but by 1955 the position has
been very much reversed. In Kensington, the death rate from
lung cancer in 1955 was over six times that for pulmonary
tuberculosis, whilst in England and Wales the rate was approximately
three times greater. The graphs on the opposite page show the
death rates for Kensington and England and Wales, and it will
be seen that about five or six years ago, the death rates from
lung cancer overtook the rates for pulmonary tuberculosis. The
fact is that since the war, taking the country as a whole, the
number of deaths from lung cancer have increased by roughly
1,000 each year, but in Kensington the rate has been more or less
steady over the past six years; approximately forty persons
per 100,000 population died in each of those years from lung
cancer.
Whereas in the last half-century, tuberculosis was a disease
which had to be fought with all the resources of preventive
public health, we now find that it is no longer the "scourge of
the white man." Improved methods of diagnosis, resulting in
the earlier discovery of the disease, have enabled modern medical
science to reduce enormously the mortality from tuberculosis.
On the other hand, lung cancer is a much more difficult problem
to tackle because (unlike tuberculosis, the cause of which is
well known) its cause is not known, although a great amount of
information has already been discovered. It remains for the
experts to discover the way to deal with lung cancer and its
prevention. One of the things which can be done in the meantime
is to secure a cleaner and purer atmosphere. At the moment of
writing, Parliament is in the process of framing a Clean Air Bill,
which it is hoped will go a long way towards dealing with
atmospheric pollution. Later on in this report are given analyses
relating to atmospheric pollution in Kensington from which it can
be seen that the problem provides no mean task. If the impurities
in the air could be removed, the health of Kensington residents
would be materially improved and it would no doubt help in
reducing the incidence of lung cancer.
Housing. The year under review brought the completion of
the first stage in the new campaign to deal with houses unfit for
human habitation. All local authorities were required by
Section 1 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, to submit
to the Minister of Housing and Local Governments, by the end of
August, 1955, proposals for dealing with unfit houses in their
districts. Metropolitan boroughs were required to consult with
the London County Council in this matter and to submit their
proposals jointly with that authority.
Kensington's proposals have been submitted as required,
and include the proposal to deal with the Kensal New Town area,
comprising five hundred and sixteen premises, as a clearance area.
The redevelopment of this area was still under consideration at
the end of the year; the Council having appointed Sir William
Holford, F.R.I.B.A., M.T.P.I., to act in this matter. Early in
1956, Sir William submitted a draft redevelopment scheme, which
at the present time is the subject of negotiation between the
Council and the London County Council.
The important feature of the redevelopment of this large
area is that it will involve the eventual displacement (overspill)
of some of the persons living in the area. It is hoped partially
to meet this problem by reserving the one hundred and thirty-three
flats and maisonettes to be erected on the Treverton Street area
for rehousing families to be displaced from the Kensal New Town
area. The whole project will need careful synchronization, and
it is expected that the first steps will be taken in 1956 to
declare formally a suitable part of the area for clearance under
Part III of the Housing Act, 1936.