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given that as one is dealing with a small number of deaths, one
has to draw conclusions with a good deal of circumspection,
but the overall trend of infant mortality in the Borough is,
undoubtedly, satisfactory.
Although there were 640 total births during the year there
were no maternal deaths. This is a fine record and speaks
well for the obstetrical services in the area and for the standard
of ante-natal care available for the expectant mother.
The incidence of infectious disease was again low. Once
again no case of diphtheria occurred but it is still very necessary
that mothers should not fail to have their children immunised
as only thus can a continued freedom from this disease be
ensured. No paralytic case of poliomyelitis occurred in the
Borough compared with two in the previous year. The
number of newly notified cases of tuberculosis during 1954
was 67 compared with 72 during 1953. The number of deaths,
however, was only 9 as against 11 in 1953. A comparison
of notifications and deaths over the past 10 years is in keeping
with the national tendency for deaths from this disease to
decrease at a greater rate than notifications. In other words,
the curative services are tending to outstrip the preventive
services and very much more needs to be done to track down
the infectious cases within the community and to lessen the
chances of infection of susceptible persons.
During the year a survey was commenced in accordance
with Section 1 of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954
to ascertain how many houses would require to be demolished
within the next five years and it was found that the number of
obviously unfit houses was relatively small, and was to be
expected in an area in which so much housing development
took place between the two wars. The demolition of these
houses will not, necessarily, be followed by 100% replacement
on the cleared sites, as some of these may be considered
unsuitable for new development. The rehousing of tenants
may, therefore, be a matter of some difficulty but it is hoped
that the rate of demolition will be such as to allow for the
assimilation of such families into the Council's rehousing
Programme in general.
The Clean Food Campaign continued to make real, if
not spectacular, progress and at the time of writing 156 plaques
nave been awarded by the Bexley, Erith and Crayford Clean
Food Traders' Guild. Far more could, no doubt, be achieved
" the necessary staff were available, and indeed this applies