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East Barnet Urban District Council
EIGHTY-SIXTH
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1959
To the Chairman and Members of the
East Barnet Urban District Council.
I have the honour to present my report for the year 1959.
This year there are two main items from the Analysis of Vital
Statistics which need perhaps some explanation. It will be seen that
the Infant Mortality under one year is considerably greater than for
some years past and it is not possible to give any adequate explanation
for this increase. True, the total figures involved are so small that
it is unwise to draw any definite conclusions but the figure is nevertheless
disquieting. In particular the increase in congenital abnormalities
causing death—yet it would be unwise to theorise at this stage.
Secondly, it will be seen that there has been a considerable increase
in the number of notified cases of Sonne Dysentery. This infection
has become almost endemic and there must be a vastly greater number
of cases than the total notified. It appears that many of the milder
infections clear up on their own and without treatment, although
taking far longer than they would had they been given treatment.
Although strict precautions have to be taken where such infections
occur in day nurseries, infant schools or canteens etc., where food
handling occurs, in the case of the average child the infection often
clears on its own without any apparent detriment to the child.
Poliomyelitis immunisation continues to increase and it is to be
hoped that people have now come to accept this procedure as normal
and well worth while. Active opposition is negligible.
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