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Telephone No.: FINchley 0018 Public Health Department,
308, Regents Park Road,
Finchley, N.3.
TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF THE BOROUGH
OF FINCHLEY.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my report on the health of the sanitary circumstances
of the Borough of Finchley for the year 1963.
Dr. J. G. Hagan retired from the post of Medical Officer of Health on the
31st March to take up an appointment with the Department of Health in his native
Ireland. In the interim between then and the 19th July when I commenced duties as
your Medical Officer of Health, Dr. A. F. Adamson, retired Medical Officer of Health
for Hendon, was Acting Medical Officer of Health.
The trend in statistics has been mainly on the credit side with an increase in
population and the birth rate and a further fall in infant mortality. A rise in the total
number of deaths from all causes is on the debit side ,the more so because it has
resulted from largely preventable diseases.
The indisputable Captains of the Host of Death are coronary heart disease and
lung cancer. A well regulated life, a moderate, well-balanced diet and exercise would
do much to reduce the incidence of the former, whilst that of the latter would be
dramatically reduced by the simple expedient of not smoking cigarettes. Every death
ascribed to accident and suicide represents a bitter waste of life. Much research has
been done and much more is needed to mitigate these causes of human suffering. In
the same allegorical vein as above, how remarkable and delightful is the demotion to
the ranks of that erstwhile Captain, Infectious Disease.
Health education is a raison d'etre of a public health department, and it is
surprising to me that so little is known about its modus operandi and effectiveness.
The Report on Health Education of a Joint Committee which was appointed in 1959
by the Central and Scottish Health Services Councils under the Chairmanship of Lord
Cohen of Birkenhead, is anxiously awaited. A special effort was made during the
year to stress the danger of cigarette smoking when a Central Council for Health
Education mobile unit visited the Borough. This novel and imaginative approach was
part of a national programme, the effect of which, success or failure, will serve as a
pointer to future efforts.
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