London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Edmonton 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]
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MIDDLESEX COUNTY COUNCIL ACT, 1955
ESTABLISHMENTS FOR MASSAGE AND SPECIAL TREATMENT: During 1962 eleven
existing licences were renewed.
COUNCIL'S EMPLOYEES
During 1962 a total of 58 visits were paid to those employees who had
been on the sick list for longer than a fortnight and when necessary, at
fortnightly intervals. Of these, 16 were 'not at home' and 4 had already
resumed dutv.
Also during the year, the following medical examinations or assessments were made prior to appointment to permanent posts
| Medical examinations | 34 |
| Assessments without medical examinations | 79 |
| Medical assessments (not appointed) | 74 |
FLUORIDATION
During 1960 and 1961 the Council had from time to time pressed the
Ministry of Health for a clear answer on the advisability of fluoridation of
water supplies. It had, in fact, almost gone so far as to say that the
Ministry should get on with it. When the report on the five years trial came
up therefore, I immediately reported to the Public Health Committee and as a
result of this, the Council decided to make their wholehearted support of a
desire for fluoridation of the metropolitan water supply know to the Metropolitan
Water Board and the Middlesex County Council. Fluoridation of the metropolitan
water supply is still awaited but I feel sure that it is likely to be introduced
before or at the latest at the end of 1965. The relevant part of my report to
the Health Committee is as follows
"in Watford, Kilmarnock and at Gualchmai part of Anglesey, the average
number of carious teeth per child has been markedly reduced in the younger age
groups, both absolutely and by comparison with the controlled areas. (The
control areas were Sutton, Ayr and the other half of Anglesey). The proportion
of children completely free from caries is substantially increased, and the
proportion of children with ten or more carious teeth has been greatly reduced.
In 1955/56 children aged 3 years had on an average in the study areas 3.8
carious teeth. In 1961, the average for this age group was 1.29 carious teeth.
Corresponding figures for 4 year old children were 5.39 in the 1955/56 period
and 2.31 in 1961 and for 5 year old children 5.81 in 1955/56 and 2.91 in 1961.
Caries were reduced in 6 and 7 year old children but not to the same extent
from 6.49 carious teeth on average to 4.81 carious teeth in the 6 year olds,
and from 7.06 carious teeth to 6.05 carious teeth in 7 year olds."
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