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Health Department,
Town Hall,
Hornsey, N. 8.
31st July, 1963.
To the Worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
In accordance with my statutory duty I herewith submit my
Annual Report for the year ended 31st December, 1962.
The mid- year population of the Borough, as estimated by the
Registrar General, was 97,720 - an increase over the previous year.
The birth rate of 23.3 was the highest since the post war peak
year of 1947. Of live births 11.4 per cent were illegitimate,
compared with 10.9 per cent in 1961. The infantile death rate of
21.9 for all births and 19.2 for illegitimate births was lower than in
the previous year. There was no maternal death.
Apart from 580 notified cases of measles, none of which gave
rise to serious complications, the year was free from outbreaks of
infectious diseases. But the fact that no case of smallpox, poliomyelitis
or diphtheria occurred was a matter for encouragement rather
than complacency. The general public are still slow to fully
recognise the preventive value of routine vaccination and immunization
procedures in infancy; or that once an epidemic has started, mass
vaccination or immunization is seldom of any value as a protective
measure. Five separate importations of smallpox into this country
occurred in 1961-62 in each of which Hornsey in common with others
had the public health duty of surveillance and tracing contacts of actual
or suspected cases; any positive case of which might have led to a
local outbreak.
The year has been an extremely busy one for all sections of
the Health Department and only by an all-out effort by the whole staff
has it been possible to implement new legislation and successfully
meet increased demands of the public for the comprehensive range of
services as described in some detail in this Report.
Action under the Housing Acts is the most time consuming of
the district public health inspectors' duties; and the most important
that of house-to-house inspection. In addition to procedures necessary
for closing and/or demolition of individual unfit houses and the work
leading to Ministerial confirmation of the Haringey Grove Clearance
Order, considerable progress was made during the year in enforcing
standards adopted by the Council and the provisions of the Housing
Act, 1961 relating to houses in multiple occupation.
A fourth smoke control order was confirmed during the year
which, together with similar action being taken by neighbouring Local
Authorities makes it possible to see from many vantage points in
the district that a real contribution is already being made to the
Clean Air Campaign in the Greater London Area.
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