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Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Hornsey, N.8.
To His Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Hornsey.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report on health conditions
in the Borough for the year ended the 31st December, 1956.
The population as estimated by the Registrar General was 97,220,
showing a decrease of 380 compared with the previous year. Deaths
from all causes totalled 1,115 showing a death rate per thousand of the
population of 10.3. Deaths from cancer claimed 217 as compared with
203 in 1955. The number certified as due to lung cancer was 54 compared
with 46 in the previous year. The total number of births was 1,459
resulting in a birth rate of 13.95. Infant deaths under one year numbered
34 giving an infantile death rate per thousand live births of 23.3 as compared
with a rate of 23.8 for England and Wales.
Details of the work of your public health department are set out in
appropriate sections of the report. Control of infectious diseases was
well maintained and no serious outbreak occurred during the year.
Housing efforts were concentrated on repairs, the closing and/or demolition
of individual unfit houses, and further progress in slum clearance
in the Campsbourne area. Efforts in the clean food campaign were
intensified under the consolidating Food and Drugs Act and Food
Hygiene Regulations which came into force during the year. Good
co-operation was had from food traders in the district following a well
attended meeting to discuss with the health department the various
provisions of the new legislation. Future prospects of lessening the
health risks of atmospheric pollution are assured by the passing of the
Clean Air Act; though its implementation in creating "smoke controlled
areas" will require much public support and not inconsiderable expenditure
of money in order to achieve really worth-while results.
The new statutory change in designation of sanitary inspector to that
of public health inspector is in keeping with the expansion in recent years
of this officer's contribution to the solution of many environmental
health problems beyond the limits of sanitary law. After a long and
distinguished record of service to Hornsey, the department, at the end of
the year, suffered the loss by retirement of Mr. J. H. Jesse, Chief Public
Health Inspector, to whom the Council and his colleagues expressed their
sincere good wishes. In Mr. J. D. Chance, who has also given long and
loyal service in the health department, a worthy successor is assured.
The publication of this Report coincides with the Jubilee Year of the
school health service introduced by the Education (Administrative
Provisions) Act, 1907. The occasion, I feel, should not pass without
comment since though Hornsey, in common with other large non-county
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