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To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Paddington.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you the Annual Report of the
Medical Officer of Health for 1961.
(1) Vital Statistics
The Birth Rate, Death Rate and Infant Mortality Rate show
little variation from the previous year and may be regarded as
satisfactory. It is tragic to record that the illegitimate live births
per cent of total live births in Paddington remains very high, viz.
21 per cent (cf. 22 per cent for the previous year).
(2) Infectious Disease
In February a Paddington girl aged 6^ years died from diphtheria.
This was the first death from diphtheria in the Borough since
1946, and indeed the last case which occurred in the Borough was
in 1951. The staff of this department, in consultation and collaboration
with the Divisional staff of the London County Council,
discovered ten diphtheria carriers, all of whom were removed to
hospital and successfully treated. This child had unfortunately not
been immunised against diphtheria, and the opportunity was taken
of impressing once again all parents with the necessity of having their
children immunised.
Three cases of typhoid fever were notified during the year.
In each case the infection had occurred abroad, and in two of these
cases prolonged hospital treatment was necessary as the patients
remained carriers for long periods. The importance of cases such
as these is, of course, only too obvious, particularly as in one
instance the patient had previously been associated with the preparation
of food. The Ministry of Labour were advised to ensure
that this patient would not again be engaged in food.
During the year there were 148 notifications of respiratory
tuberculosis. The figures in 1960 and 1955 were 137 and 177 respectively.
The incidence in males continues to be much higher than
in females (cf. 94 and 54). There were 29 cases notified in the age
group 15-24 years, 50 cases in the age group 25-44 years, and 45
cases in the age group 45-64 years. Although these figures are much
better than those of several years ago, they nevertheless serve to
remind us that the problem of tuberculosis is still with us.
(3) Staff
It is with great regret that I have to record the death in a road
accident of the Public Analyst, Mr. C. H. Wordsworth, B.Sc.,
F.R.I.C. on 1st June, 1961. Mr. Wordsworth had been the Council's
Public Analyst since 1949, and throughout the whole of this time
had given loyal and valuable service to this Council, and was held
in high esteem by all members of the Public Health Department.
Mr. J. H. Evan Marshall, M.A. (Cantab.), F.R.I.C., was subsequently
appointed Public Analyst for the Borough. Mr. Marshall had been
working since 1955 in the Laboratories with Mr. Wordsworth,