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TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COULSDON
AND PURLEY URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year
1959 which has been prepared in accordance with Ministry of
Health Circular 1/60.
The health of the District remains good and the vital statistics
compare favourably with those of the country as a whole.
It has been an epidemic year for measles, but the cases have
been mild and the use of antibiotics has greatly diminished the
number of complications. There has been an unusually high
incidence of dysentery of the mild Sonne type, a highly infectious
disease whose incidence has been increasing throughout the country
as a whole. The incidence of whooping cough has been exceptionally
low, indicating the value of immunisation.
The situation with regard to poliomyelitis is especially satisfactory.
For the second year in succession no case has occurred
in spite of a warm dry summer. A special effort was made to
complete the vaccination of all the children of the District in the
early part of the year and in May a poliomyelitis vaccination
campaign was organised for the under 25 years age group. This
campaign was most successful.
In conclusion I should like to thank the Chairman and
Members of the Public Health Committee for their advice and
assistance and the staff of the Department for their keen
co-operation.
I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
J. B. MORWOOD
Medical Officer of Health.
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