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East Barnet Urban District Council
EIGHTY-FIFTH
ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1958
To the Chairman and Members of the
East Barnet Urban District Council.
I have the honour to present my report for the year 1958.
There are few items worthy of comment in the year's statistics. The
variations in the notifications of infectious diseases are perhaps indicative
of the rapidly increasing opinion that, so far as the normal children's
infections are concerned, there is little value in notification. As a result of
this climate of opinion it would appear that medical practitioners are
themselves not notifying all the cases of measles, scarlet fever, whooping
cough and chicken pox, thus rendering the statistics very suspect. So long
as these diseases are notifiable it is unfortunate that this position should
be true.
Poliomyelitis immunisation is increasing steadily and now seems to have
been generally accepted by the public. There is a considerable amount of
apathy to be overcome but surprisingly little active opposition.
As regards Housing it is regrettable that owing to the urgent necessity
of de-requisitioning, Slum Clearance has been considerably slowed downand
it becomes increasingly obvious that there is a great probability of
our eleven-year programme failing completion in the allotted time.
There is the additional factor that the older houses are, in many instances,
steadily deteriorating and it may well be that the number of houses that
will eventually have to be dealt with will be considerably in excess of the
original estimate. Few people will regret the passing of Warwick Cottages,
Albert Road and Margaret Road - but many people will regret the
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