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INTRODUCTION
To the Chairman and Members of the Public Health Committee.
I have the honour to present my Report on the health of the Borough
during 1959.
In general the year has been a good one, and in certain particulars
momentous. These concern the incidence of Poliomyelitis, the operation
of the Clean Air Act and the presentation of evidence to the Royal
Commission on Local Government in Greater London.
It is encouraging to report that for the first time throughout a
year, no cases of paralytic or non-paralytic Poliomyelitis were notified.
This happened in spite of a comparatively dry summer when conditions
are most favourable to the spread of this disease. The inference that
protective inoculations are proving worthwhile is obvious.
In June, the Council decided in principle to establish a Smoke
Control area in a part of the borough adjacent to the south-west
boundary with Croydon and with the approval of the Minister to
commence a detailed survey so that the area (involving some 2,000
dwellings) may be established during the next two years. Also in June,
a comprehensive report on the Health Services in the Borough was
included in evidence on other aspects of local government presented to
the Royal Commission by the Corporation. Supporting verbal evidence
was given by Members of the Council. The views of the Royal
Commission are expected to be known towards the end of 1960.
Statistics
The number of live births exactly equals that of the previous year
and as the estimated mid-year population has again fallen slightly,
there is a neglible increase of .03 in the Live Birth Rate. The Births
have not followed the National increase so that the live birth rate of
12.67 is less than the figure for England and Wales which, at 16.5, is
reported to be the highest rate since 1949 (16.7). The Infant Mortality
figure of 14 is, however, much less than the figure of 22 for England
and Wales which itself is a low rate.
Even this low death rate needs to be bettered, and nationally, a
check is being kept on its component parts, so that this year, attention
is drawn to the important period immediately following birth by two
new component rates during the first week—the early Neonatal
Mortality Rate and the Perinatal Mortality Rate from which, in future
years, comparisons may be drawn.
The number of all deaths registered was less by 92, and the
corrected Death Rate of 10.71 is better than the figure for England and
wales of 11.6 per thousand population.
Another rate which is better than the figure for England and
wales is the Stillbirth Rate of 15.49 compared with the low national
rate of 20.7 per thousand total Live and Stillbirths.
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