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WELbeck 7766 Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
St. Marylebone, W.l.
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 this Annual Report on the health of the Borough during 1961.
At the request of the Minister of Health the report retains its usual form and gives full details of the
water supply, sewerage and public swimming baths in the Borough.
Public health throughout the year was generally satisfactory, the incidence of infectious disease
remaining at a low level. The customary biennial upsurge in the number of cases of measles comprised
the only epidemic of note and this was almost wholly responsible for an appreciable rise in the total
of notifications received—467 compared with 259 in 1960. A welcome feature was the marked fall
in whooping cough notifications, only 12 being recorded as against 53 in the previous year. Once
again the Borough remained free from smallpox and diphtheria, and for the first time since 1958 no
case of poliomyelitis was reported. This happy record can only be maintained if full advantage is
taken of the vaccines which offer specific protection against these formidable foes of mankind ; neglect
to do so may exact a heavy toll in terms of death and disability. Quite unnecessary tragedy can so
easily be averted by a little forethought.
The year witnessed a further slight decrease in the estimated size of the resident population and a
modest increase in general mortality (the standardized death rate rising from 11.58 to 12.14 per
thousand population), partly offset by a continued slow improvement in the birth rate which rose
from 8.30 to 8.85 (standardized). The infant mortality rate dropped fractionally from 26.99 to
26.39 per thousand live births, the number of infant deaths (20) being the same as last year; threequarters
of these occurred within the first month of life. The still-birth rate increased noticeably from
8.10 to 19.40 per thousand total births but such a marked fluctuation is to be expected in view of the
small numbers involved. One maternal death occurred in 1961, only the second to take place in
St. Marylebone during the past eight years. It is always sad to record such an untimely event but
its comparative rarity to-day bears witness to the high standard of maternity service which has been
achieved in this country. The public health movement has just cause to be proud of its part in this
achievement.
The main causes of death amongst adults were diseases of the cardio-vascular system which
accounted for nearly one-third of the total; malignant disease, responsible for roughly one death in
five ; and respiratory diseases, to which were attributable just under one-eighth of all deaths. Approximately
three out of every four deaths in the Borough occurred over the age of 65.
In highly developed countries the correspondingly greater expectation of life has the natural corollary
that an increasing proportion of public health practice is devoted to the welfare of the aged. This is
certainly true of St. Marylebone. In this sphere the Department continues to work closely with
numerous voluntary and statutory bodies and in particular with the St. Marylebone Old People's
Welfare Association, an extract from whose annual report appears on pages 6 to 9; of especial interest
is the account of the small inquiry undertaken by the Association into the housing needs of elderly
residents in the Borough. Quite rightly this subject is receiving more and more attention and details
of the current activities of the Council in this important field are given on page 19. In drawing attention
to the summary of services available for old people on page 42 of the appendix to this Report, I
welcome the opportunity to pay a sincere tribute to the many organisations which do so much to warm
the winter of life.
Another increasingly important aspect of public health practice in an ageing population is the
prevention of accidents in the home for these take by far their heaviest toll amongst the elderly. On
page 10 will be found a review of the size and nature of the problem and of the work of the Department
in this field. Here I wish to emphasize the major contribution which well designed houses make to the
cause of home safety. This is an excellent example of the interdependence of health and welfare.
All too frequently in built up areas has the benefit of good housing been placed in jeopardy by the
blight of atmospheric pollution. For this reason it is gratifying to report the satisfactory progress made
in implementing the Clean Air Act. A fourth smoke control area, embracing the Cavendish Square