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3
Public Health Department,
98a, Avenue Road,
Hampstead, N. W. 3.
2nd May, 1963.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS
OF THE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF HAMPSTEAD
Mr. Mayor , Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report on the Health
of the Borough for the year 1962.
The year started with much more public awareness of the
preventive health services by reason of a case of smallpox which was
discovered in the neighbouring Borough of St. Pancras at Christmas
1961, This was quickly followed by the outbreak of smallpox in
Yorkshire and it became evident that the cases were associated with
the smallpox epidemic occurring in Pakistan. No cases of smallpox
were found in Hampstead but many people who had travelled from
Pakistan by air arrived at London Airport and some of them on
arrival stayed for longer or shorter periods in Hampstead. This
involved a considerable amount of surveillance.
A somewhat unfortunate aspect of the occurrence was that
natives of Pakistan and India were generally shunned by the public
irrespective of the length of time that they had been in this country.
In an effort to increase public interest in the health services
a health exhibition under the title of "At Home in Hampstead" was
held at the Town Hall from 7th to 14th April, 1962. It was generally
agreed that the form and content of the exhibition was outstandingly
good and it was very successful in that it was visited by some 5 ,000
persons including many of the notable residents of the Borough.
There is, unfortunately, no way of measuring how much
lasting benefit to the public health is achieved by such an exhibition
but there was no doubt of the interest which was shown by the visitors,
particularly the younger ones and it is hoped that the money which was
spent by the Council on this project was well spent. A fuller