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5
Tuberculosis is a disease which from a national point
of view is diminishing both in incidence and mortality and,
by a combination of B.C.G. vaccination, mass radiography
and modern medical and surgical treatment combined with
the close supervision of infective cases within the community,
it is likely that the risks from this disease could be reduced
in the next quarter of a century to a very considerable degree.
In the Borough of Erith a study of the figures for notifications
and deaths over the past 20 years shows that while
deaths have fallen considerably, notifications of new cases
have tended to increase, but vthis is, no doubt, due to better
methods of ascertainment, e.g. by Mass Miniature Radiography.
It cannot be stressed too often that tuberculosis when
associated with a serious degree of overcrowding and the
presence of susceptible children, is a hazard which must constantly
be borne in mind.
During 1956, a small outbreak of paratyphoid B infection
was experienced in the Borough of Bexley, two cases
occurring also in this Borough and four cases in the Urban
District of Crayford. The outbreak was considered to have
been due to Chinese frozen liquid egg used in a bakery.
Cancer of the lung, which has attracted much attention
in recent years because of its apparent association, inter
alia, with smoking, caused 17 deaths in the Borough in 1956
compared with 18 in 1955. There is no cause, here, for complacency
as statistics show that, taking the country as a whole,
the mortality from this disease continues to rise. In my1 1955
Report I stated that, " In the circumstances it seems reasonable
to advise young people not to take up smoking and, in
the case of heavy smokers of middle age, to say that published
data indicate that there may be some diminution in
risk to those who give up smoking after many years of addiction."
I think this is a warning which deserves to be repeated
in view of the evidence, on good authority, that smoking
among late schoolagers in many parts of the country is by
no means inconsiderable.
With the passing of the Clean Air Act, 1956, the preyention
of atmospheric pollution received its main legislative
impetus, although one should not minimise the long term
nature of the project which the Act envisages and the difficult
technical problems which are involved. Locally, of course,
the main emphasis will no doubt be on the establishment
and gradual expansion of smoke Control areas and the need
to work in close collaboration with neighbouring authorities.
The industrial nature of Erith raises the Problem of preventing
air pollution from factory premises but it wi'l also be
recalled that about 50 per cent of atmosoheric pollution
results from the domestic hearth and much foresight wi'l be