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WELbeck 7766
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
St. Marylebone, W.1.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan Borough of St. Marylebone.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present to you my Annual Report on the health of the Borough for the year
1959.
An examination of the vital statistics recorded on page 2 reveals, on the whole, little change from
last year, although it is pleasing to note that there were only 11 infant deaths as compared with 26
in 1958.
There were no serious outbreaks of infectious disease among the residents of the Borough and the
total of notifications received was lower by 26 than in the previous year. The largest contribution to
this reduction was a fall in the number of cases of pneumonia from 21 in 1958 to 6 in 1959 and there
was also a fall in the number of cases of food poisoning from 18 in 1958 to 10 in 1959. This last figure
cannot be regarded as a true representation of the amount of food poisoning contracted in St. Marylebone,
however, since comparatively few of those who eat in catering establishments and attend functions
in the Borough live locally, a fact which is well illustrated by two of three outbreaks reported in detail
on pages 24-26.
Further progress towards smokeless air has been made during the year. A second smoke control
area comprising Lords Ward came into operation on 1st October, 1959, and a third order for Hamilton
Terrace Ward has been confirmed by the Minister. When this order becomes operative on 1st October,
1960, the whole of the Borough north of St. John's Wood Road and Prince Albert Road will be a
continuous smoke control area. Smoke and other products of combustion are not, however, the only
sources of air pollution. Fine dust which easily becomes airborne can also be a serious source of nuisance
and even disease. On page 14 the Director of Cleansing reports the introduction of a footway cleansing
machine, designed to combat this nuisance. Operating broadly on the principle of the domestic vacuum
cleaner, it collects not only the ordinary street refuse but also the very fine dust which in the past it
has been impossible to remove. Another development which can confidently be expected in the near
future is the introduction of dustless loading of domestic refuse.
Although dustless loading of refuse has been in use for some time in certain countries abroad, the
idea of the suction street cleaning vehicle can be said to have originated in the Council's own Cleansing
Department. Both are to come into regular service shortly and, together with the measures being
taken to control smoke, should contribute materially to health and comfort.
Public conveniences as a rule receive scant attention in the reports of Medical Officers of Health
and yet their efficient supervision and maintenance is extremely important. Vandalism breeds vandalism
and the fact that there is comparatively little malicious damage in the conveniences in St. Marylebone
is, I am sure, due to the efforts of the staff to ensure a high standard of cleanliness and the proper
maintenance of the various fitments. Two developments in this service, of which full details are given
on page 13, are of interest. The opening of a new convenience in Paddington Street provided an
opportunity to introduce a new type of tap serving the wash-hand basins which has given rise to
favourable comment by members of the public. This delivers a spray of water the temperature of
which can be controlled by the user. Although the hands are washed under the running spray and no
stopper is provided in the basin, there is a considerable saving in both water and electricity used to
heat it. Another experiment which is proving to have been worth while is the provision in Oxford
Circus women's convenience of a small room suitably equipped, so that a mother may "change" or
feed her baby in reasonable comfort and privacy, and where any woman who is feeling unwell may rest.
At the same time a changing room with facilities for washing, shaving and shoe cleaning was provided
in the men's convenience and is being used with increasing frequency. The use of the women's rest room
is free but a charge of one shilling is made for the use of the changing room.
Under the heading "Rodent Control" on page 11 details are given of a new method of baiting in
sewers which has been introduced for a trial period and appears to be successful. Previously the sewers
were treated at intervals, the bait being laid, in manholes, on the benching of the sewers or on plates
laid across the sewers and, at side entrances, on the floor at the bottom of the shaft. In all cases it was
necessary for men to enter the sewer with all the attendant precautions, while in the case of manholes
in the road there was the added complication of heavy traffic. Since side entrances are approached
from the pavement, it was decided that control should be attempted by maintaining a constant supply
of poisoned bait at these points and also to devise a method whereby it could be laid and inspected