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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE CITY OF LONDON FOR THE YEAR 1959.
To the Right Honourable The Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commoners of the Corporation of London.
Guildhall,
E.C.2.
Telephone: MONarch 3030
July. 1960.
My Lord Mayor and Gentlemen.
I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of my Department during the
year 1959.
Vital Statistics
The resident population of the City according to the Registrar General's estimate at midyear
1959 was 4,900.
The birth rate rose to 5.88 per 1,000 resident population and the death rate dropped to 9.37
per 1,000 resident population, as compared with 5.22 and 11.42 per 1,000 respectively in 1958.
32 babies were born, none of which died within four weeks of birth.
3 births were illegitimate. There were no still-births.
The total number of deaths of all ages was 45; 34 male and 11 female. 13 deaths were due
to cancer, 3 of which were cancer of the lung. 5 deaths were from pneumonia and 4 from
bronchitis. One death was due to a motor accident. The only death of a person less than 45
years of age was of a Sicilian doctor on a temporary visit to this country, who died from coronary
thrombosis in a City Hotel.
Infectious Disease
34 notifications of infectious disease were received; namely 1 case of dysentery (3), 21 of
measles (9), 4 of food poisoning (5), 1 of scarlet fever (4), 4 of pulmonary tuberculosis (6), 1 of
non-pulmonary tuberculosis (0), 1 of erysipelas (0) and 1 of influenzal broncho-pneumonia (0).
(The figures in brackets denote the comparable numbers of cases in 1958.)
Food Poisoning
Below is a copy of the Annual Return made to the Minister of Health on food poisoning in the
City of London during 1959.
There were three outbreaks of food poisoning. In all three cases the causative agent was a
heat resistant strain of Clostridium welchii. Once again the investigations showed that the prior
preparation resulted in the food being infected and that the subsequent storage before re-heating
had provided suitable conditions for the proliferation of the organisms. Undoubtedly food preparation
by this method involves greater risks for the consumer, and the catering trade must appreciate
this fact and act accordingly.
ANNUAL RETURN OF FOOD POISONING IN THE CITY OF LONDON
1. YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1959.
2. (a) FOOD POISONING NOTIFICATIONS (Corrected) as returned to Registrar General:—
1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. Total
Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
(b) Cases otherwise ascertained:—
1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. Total
Nil Nil Nil 48 48
(c) Symptomless Excreters
1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. Total
Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
(d) Fatal Cases
1st Qtr. 2nd Qtr. 3rd Qtr. 4th Qtr. Total
Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
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