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HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
TOWN HALL,
HORNSEY, N.8.
To the Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
Mr. Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
In accordance with my statutory duty I present the following report on
public health conditions in the Borough for the year 1959.
The population figure, as estimated by the Registrar General, again
showed a slight decline from 96,670 in the previous year to 96,430. The birth
rate of 18.0 was the highest for seven years and the percentage of hospital confinements
rose from 80 per cent to 81.7 per cent. The adjusted death rate of
10. 9 compared favourably with that of 11. 6 for the country as a whole.
While the general standard of health was well maintained there are
certain matters to which I would draw particular attention. The infant mortality
rate regrettably rose to 24. 0 compared with a figure of 22. 2 for England
and Wales as a whole. A still birth rate of 13.1, however, was considerably
lower than the figure of 21. 0 for the country or for Hornsey's rate, in the previous
year, of 18.1. The neo-natal death rate was 20.8 and the peri-natal
death rate 33. 6. Surprisingly the latter was appreciably lower in the case of
illegitimate births.
The occurrence of 22 cases of poliomyelitis was a matter for special
concern and action by the Health Department during the year. Of this number
13 were cases in which some degree of paralysis occurred. Only one child
fully vaccinated against the disease developed a paralysis and in this case the
course of injections had not been completed until after incubation of the infection.
If for no other reason the benefits of child nurture derived from day
nursery provision were patently stressed by the increase in the number of
children which were admitted during the year from broken homes or homes
where there was only one parent.
The follow-up of some 28 problem families in Hornsey, having between
them 105 children, is described by the special services health visitor, together
with constructive observations by her on procedures for dealing with
these distressing cases.
Significant information is given in the report of the extensive use made
locally of the health visiting, home nursing and domestic help services.
The most outstanding feature in the work of the school health service
was that for handicapped pupils, and in particular an expansion of the comprehensive
provision made for the ascertainment and treatment of loss of
hearing by the establishment of an audiology clinic in relation to the special day
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