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His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the year 1950.
In contrast to the 1949 report with its record of smallpox in the borough the report for this year records no
event of a startling nature. There is, however, steady progress to report in a number of fields.
For the past four years it has been a satisfying duty to report that there have been no deaths from diphtheria.
During 1950, although four cases of diphtheria were notified, further investigation showed that the patients were
suffering from some other disease, so that this year, for the first time in the recorded reports, it is possible to say that
no case of diphtheria occurred in the borough. In the 1920-1930 period the average number of cases of diphtheria
was about 300 per year. By the 1940s this figure had fallen to about 40. Although we have reached the goal at which
we aimed it would be idle to congratulate ourselves and dismiss the problem from our minds. If we are to maintain
the present satisfactory position it will be necessary to ensure that a high degree of immunity exists in the borough.
We cannot afford to relax our efforts to encourage mothers to have their children immunised. It is an interesting
comment on our attitude to health and disease that the medical staff carrying out this preventative work is remunerated
on a lower scale than the staff in hospitals.
Throughout the year there has been widespread publicity to maintain clean food in this country. The Public
Health Department has been glad of the impetus this has given to the public awareness of the importance of clean
food. The active interest of the public in this matter is perhaps the most important single factor contributing to a
higher standard. During the year advice and tuition were given to food handlers by members of this department. A
more detailed account of this will be found in the appropriate section of the report.
From time to time comment has been made regarding the difficulty of investigating food poisoning outbreaks
owing to the late reception of information as to its occurrence. An example of this difficulty was the outbreak of
gastro intestinal disturbance among at least forty prominent local citizens who were members of a luncheon club.
All became ill within twelve hours of the luncheon, and all had recovered within a day or so. No common article of
food or drink was consumed by all the victims, and some members of the club escaped illness altogether. All the food
and even the cleaning materials for the china and cutlery were examined in a search for the cause, but none was found.
The important point in this example which has been given is that not a single one of these cases was notified as food
poisoning, and the information reached the department in a casual manner.
The difficulty in maintaining the older type of property used for housing in the borough continues. Comment
was made On this last year, and since then there has been no reduction in the cost of repairs and the position becomes
more difficult each year. Tenants moved from worn out property to the new housing estates find that they are faced
with a considerable increase in the rent in spite of the substantial subsidy which the new flats receive. Frequently
it is families with a very small rent who require re-housing and who are unprepared for the bigger rent. Since 1914
the proportion of family income spent on rent has been declining, and families have become gradually accustomed to
this. The solution to this problem is not one to be dealt with locally, but from the point of view of health the experience
of McGonigle in Stockton-on-Tees cannot be forgotten. Without wishing to over simplify we must not ignore the
importance of nutrition when deciding what proportion of the family income is to be available for food or for rent.
I am grateful for continued help and support from members of the Council, and in particular the members of
the Public Health Committee ; also for help and support from my colleagues in other departments ; and for the loyal
assistance of the members of the Public Health Department staff.
I have the honour to be,
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
Public Health Department,
15, Park Place Villas,
Paddington Green, W.2.
3rd July, 1951.
Medical Officer of Health.