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1
Town Hall,
Hammersmith, W.6.
Telephone: Riverside 3020.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present my Annual Report upon the health and
circumstances of the Borough for the year 1958. Once again, I
regret that it was not possible to publish it earlier as the Registrar
General's figures required to calculate various statistics were not
available.
The year was not characterised by any increased prevalence in
infectious disease. Measles was less numerous and only two cases
of Poliomyelitis occurred. It is pleasing also to report that for
the first time for five years the cases of lung cancer were reduced
in number.
The Health Committee pressed on with Clean Air arrange-
ments, and as a result Hammersmith was well to the fore in
planning and can bear comparison with any of the pioneer Local
Authorities who have put the Clean Air Act into force. The
Committee of representatives of the adjacent Middlesex, Surrey
and London Boroughs, comprising Acton, Brentford and Chiswick,
Barnes, Fulham, Willesden and ourselves, met at regular intervals
in order that each constituent member authority knew fully how
the others were planning their programmes and also in order that
full exchange of information took place to their mutual advantage.
Much of the work of the Department was of a routine nature
and repetitive in character and little unusual is available for
report.
At the Medicinal Baths, however, for the first time in my
own memory and that of my Staff, two adult males have presented
themselves for treatment for head lice. Up to the present time we
have treated women and children only. The details are referred
to later in the report and I think are interesting in that they show
how human health and fitness are bound up with the whims of
fashion.
In conclusion, 1 wish to express my appreciation of the kindness
and consideration shown to me by the Chairman, ViceChairman
and Members of the Health Committee, and to record
my thanks to the staff of the Department for the efficient manner
in which they have carried out their duties at all times during
the year.
I am. Your Worship, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
F. M. DAY,
Medical Officer of Health.