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5
The decline in the number of cases of tuberculosis brought to our
notice continued during 1960. Although the number of cases notified
in Battersea increased slightly from 75 in 1959 to 79 in 1960, only 44
cases as against 63 were reported to us from other sources, making a
total of cases of which we became aware in 1960 of 123, as compared
with ,138 in 1959. There were only 6 deaths due to pulmonary tuberculosis
in Battersea in 960, and none were caused by non-pulmonary
form of the disease. This figure gave a death rate per 100,000 of the
population of 5.6, the lowest rate ever recorded. The table on page 18
showing the death rates from tuberculosis brings out very well the
marked reduction in the death rate which has occurred over the years.
I have commented in previous Reports on the changing emphasis
which is taking place towards diseases of the chest, and the greater
attention being paid to bronchitis and cancer of the lung and I need
not dwell on the subject in detail.
The general supervision of environmental conditions in Battersea
carried out by the Public Health Inspectors continued during the year,
and the statistical records are to be found in the body of the Report.
General work under the Public Health (London) Act and the Food and
Drug Act proceeded much on the lines of previous years, but I should like
to make a little more reference to the slum clearance programme under
the housing Act. During the year, a large area of the Winstanley Road
Are was represented for clearance, following the inspection of that
are to which I made reference in last year's Report. At the end of the
year, the date of the public inquiry into the Council's Order was
awaited. If and when this area is confirmed, a further substantial
section of the Winstanley Road scheme will be in train for clearance
and development. Also during the year, areas in Weybridge Street
and Blondel Street were represented, and here again the date of the
public Inquiry was awaited at the end of the year. Here, likewise,
if and when this area is confirmed, a further sizeable part of the
Battersea Park rehousing area will be available for extensions to the
redevelopment of the area. All in alsaid that 1960 saw
considerable progress in the Council's slum clearance programme.
The figures showing the general trend of home accidents in
Battersea are continued in the tables on pages 49, 50. These figures are
not absolutely accurate, but are computed from returns supplied by the
London Ambulance Service. They do, however, provide a general,
but only a general, indication of the trend of accidents in the home.
In so far as they do illustrate a trend, they do not provide much scope
for satisfaction, for they suggest an increase in 1960 over previous years,
and the main increase is to be seen in accidents due to falls. The
distribution of accidents among the different age groups has not changed
very much. Allowing for the fact that these figures illustrate a trend
only therer was certainly no improvement in 1960 over the previous
years. It is difficult to know how to get across to the public the danger
of accidents taking place in the home. In the main, reliance must rest
on the Personal approach by members of our staff who come into contact
with those of the population who are most likely to meet with accidents,
particularly the elderly and the old. Thus, we must depend on health
visitors, home helps and social workers, and also Public Health
Inspectors, who have access to people's houses. Unfortunately, it is
in the groups most at risk where it is often-times most difficult to