View report page

able average reduction in the number of deaths from this cause over a
period.
7. Infectious diseases on Table I show a very considerable decrease
over 1957. The reduction is mainly due to Measles and Whooping Cough.
1957 was a year in which there was a very large number of Measles cases,
804 as aginst 76 for 1958. During 1958 only five cases of Whooping Cough
were notified. A decrease in the number of cases of Whooping Cough
may be expected, particularly as immunisation against Whooping
Cough is becoming more prevalent, although I feel that last year
there were some cases of Whooping Cough that were not notified.
There was only one case of Food Poisoning notified during the year,
which is considerably below the average.
water
The water which is obtained from deep wells sunk into the chalk is
supplied by the Barnet District Water Company. The Company maintains
an up-to-date laboratory under the direction of a fully qualified Chemist
and Bacteriologist. During the year 1958 examinations were made on
1,889 samples of water, of which number 1,315 were bacteriological
examinations of water samples representative of supply. 1,314 were found
free from B. Coli (type 1) in 100 ml., the other sample showed a positive
result which represents 99-9 per cent of all samples delivered free from
B. Coli (type 1) in 100 ml.
In addition, the Water Company submitted 98 samples of water for
independent analysis during the year, which included 58 bacteriological
samples of water representative of supply. Again one sample was positive,
i.e., 57 samples were absent from B. Coli (type 1) in 100 ml., being 98.3 per
cent.
Ten samples were also taken by us and submitted for examination to
the Public Health Laboratory. The reports were in every case satisfactory.
Page Thirteen