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Old Town Hall,
Fulham Broadway,
S.W.6.
The Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Tel.No. 01-385-1212
London Borough of Hammersmith
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health and Director
of Social Services of the London Borough of Hammersmith for the year 1967.
Introduction
With the agreement of the Inner London Education Authority a report on the School Health
Service in the Borough during 1967, which has been submitted to the Education Authority by your
Medical Officer of Health in his capacity of Principal School Medical Officer, is included in this
Annual Report. Similarly, since your Medical Officer of Health in his capacity as Director of
Social Services has responsibilities in regard to the Welfare and Children's Services, reports on
these services are also set out.
Reports on the Public Cleansing Service, Housing Service, Library Service, Baths and Laundry
Service, and Parks and Cemeteries Service, are also included insofar as they have particular
significance to the Health and Social Services.
The report itself contains detailed information of the work in each section of the various
services. In this prefatory letter therefore attention is only drawn to one or two matters which it
seems appropriate to highlight at the present time.
Vital Statistics and infectious Disease
The indices of the health of the community as shown by the vital statistics and incidence of
infectious disease which are presented in the report were generally satisfactory. The infant mortality
rate which is the number of deaths of infants under one year per thousand total live births
was 16.3. The infant mortality rate continues to be of some significance in assessing the health
and well-being of the residents in a particular area. A figure at this level serves as an encouragement
to the work which is being done in the Borough in the maternity and child welfare field.
Environmental Health
On the Environmental Health side it is most gratifying that the work in connection with the
last Smoke Order was completed on the 1st June, 1967 so that the London Borough of Hammersmith
became the first London Borough to be an entirely Smoke Control area. In addition, a great deal
of attention was given to industrial smoke emissions. The benefits to health which are derived
from clean air are well known. An even more significant health dividend would be obtained if the
amouAt of smoke inhaled by many people in Hammersmith was restricted by a substantial reduction
in cigarette consumption.
The chemical analysis of the water which is consumed daily in Hammersmith indicates that
the water contains naturally 0.3 parts per million of fluoride. To adjust this concentration of
fluoride to 1 part per million would, over the years, bring great benefit to the dental state and
therefore to the general health of Hammersmith children. A long-term cost benefit analysis setting
the cost of fluoridation on the one hand against the reduction in the overall cost of the dental
services which would result would amply justify such a comparatively minor modification of the
concentration of this natural constituent of the water supply.
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