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2 REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1959
17 cases, of which seven had some form of residual paralysis. There
was one death from this disease. The campaign for immunisation
against poliomyelitis was continued during the year and approximately
20,000 people in the Borough of varying age groups, have been
immunised under the arrangements made by the local Health Division
of the London County Council.
Eighty deaths were classified by the Registrar General to influenza,
compared with 18 in the previous year. The increase in the number
of deaths, most of which were in age group 65 and upwards, was
attributable to the epidemic of influenza, fortunately comparatively
mild, which occurred in the first quarter of the year. It should be
noted that under the International Classification of Diseases, deaths
from acute influenzal pneumonia are classified under the heading of
influenza.
The number of cases of tuberculosis brought to our notice was
reduced from 589 to 491. The number of primary notifications
remained almost steady at 260 compared with 267 in 1958, but there
was a big diminution in the number of cases transferred from other
authorities, namely, 228 as against 317. As I have pointed out in
previous Reports, the extensive building which has, over the past
four or five years, been proceeding particularly in the Putney/
Roehampton area of the Borough has partly accounted for the
increase in the number of cases transferred from other authorities.
As this new building comes to an end, it is to be expected that there
will be fewer cases transferred from other authorities and this I think
is the reason for the reduction noted here.
Last year, for the first time, I introduced a small section into the
Report dealing with accidents in the home. I have continued this
in the current year and have included figures for 1959 calculated as
described in last year's Report. According to these figures, there was
an increase in home accidents from a total of 784 to 886 but the
proportions of the various types of accidents do not appear to have
varied very much. The exact significance of this which, on the face
of it, is quite substantial, is a little difficult to understand. As I
explained last year, these figures are not absolutely accurate but
even allowing for this, one feels that this apparent increase does
represent an actual increase in the number of home accidents.
Included in the body of the Report is some up-to-date information
about the steps taken under the Clean Air Act, 1956. I am glad to be
able to report that considerable progress has been made and that
during the year the Council's first Smoke Control area came into
operation and that work has now been virtually completed in that
area. The second Area has already been confirmed and it will come
into operation in September, 1960. Meanwhile, work is proceeding
on preliminary surveys of further areas and I hope to be able to
report next year that a substantial area of the south-west part of the
Borough is a Smoke Control area with encouraging progress being
made in other parts of the Borough as well.