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1. Poliomyelitis—8 cases in 1950 and none since 1958.
2. Diphtheria—from 1895-1935 a steady average of 12-15 cases
yearly (with two peaks of 29 and 37 in 1905 and 1930 respectively).
One case in 1945 and none since, despite the large increase
in population from 6,298 in 1885 to 13,240 in 1910, 23,950 in
1935 and 40,710 in 1955.
It was in 1900 that bacterial filter beds were constructed at the
sewage farm and the whole of the district was on constant water
supply by 1907. Since then analyses of the water supply have been
consistently good.
No records are available for the period 1911-1916, and in 1917
Dr. W. H. Elam followed Dr. Roughton. He held office until his death
in 1923, when my immediate predecessor Dr.Æ. Rose was appointed.
1918 was the influenza year and East Barnet sustained 30 deaths—
a high proportion of a total number of deaths in that year of 125.
As an example of the change in the character of the district, it
should be mentioned that in the mid-20's there were 10 farms registered
in the district. Strange to say there is still one. There were also
5 slaughterhouses, now luckily none. Our Public Health Inspectors
benefit by the absence of evening and weekend visits necessary if there
are slaughterhouses, but their time has been amply filled with other
duties.
In the early 1930's, the pasteurisation of milk was the chief concern
of the Public Health Department and it is estimated that 6-7% of
distributed milk was infected with tubercle bacilli. The total number
of new cases of tubercular infection in 1930 was 26 in a population
of 19,350, compared with 9 cases in 1963, with a population of 41,000.
During the War years, Scabies became a public health problem and
a clinic set up at Church Farm dealt with about 500 cases per annum.
By 1952, Scabies had been treated "out of existence" and is now a
very uncommon infection, at least in an area of this type.
Since the War, housing has become of prime importance to the
Department and in 1955 a Housing Survey of the district was undertaken.
Following this survey, clearance area work formed a considerable
part of the Department's duties until, in fact, the Clearance Area
programme was completed in 1963. There is, of course, constant work
being done in the treatment of individual unfit houses—work which
will always remain a necessity.
In 1954 the Council became a Food and Drugs and Shops Act
Authority. The Food and Drugs Act, 1955, came into operation at
the beginning of 1956 and with the coming into force of the Food
Hygiene Regulations, a very large number of visits have been made
annually in connection with food hygiene. A high standard is now
prevalent throughout the district.
Since the Clean Air Act of 1956, each year has seen further
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