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suffer, and which is provoked by the inhalation of asbestos dust.
It will, however, take years for any substantial improvement to be
felt. It is not unreasonable to suppose that for the next fifteen
years we shall be getting deaths from asbestosis-amongst those
people whose lungs are already affected.
(e) Diphtheria.—The nature of diphtheria still continues to be
serious, and during the year under review we have had many cases
of mixed infection. This experience has, I believe, been shared
by neighbouring authorities. There were a large number of cases
of diphtheria—to wit, 358—and they came from all parts of the
town.
(f) Poisonous Gas.—From time to time in the neighbourhood
of the railway station, hydrogen sulphide gas can be smelt. This is a
poisonous gas and may, so we believe, come from an industrial
process carried on outside the boundaries of this district. The
attention of the Medical Officer of Health for the area concerned
has been called to this matter from time to time.
(g) Overcrowding.—It is impossible to leave this section of the
report without once again referring to overcrowding.
I know what you are doing, and I know that what you are
doing is very good indeed, but the need there is for more houses
and for better houses is so imperative that I cannot but feel impatient
of any delay whatsoever.
I want to reiterate that good housing will not solve all our
public health problems, but that our public health problems will
never be solved without good housing.
(h) Smallpox.—Equally it is difficult for me to close this section
without speaking of smallpox, although one is getting rather
resigned to smallpox in these days.
Smallpox can be prevented by vaccination, and it does seem futile
to spend a lot of money on smallpox (for instance, smallpox recently
cost Barking £1,000 in six months) when there are other things on
which this money could be spent to advantage, if only smallpox
were wiped out.