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the first year of life per thousand live births,
was 14.1, as against 39.5 in 1959. This is an
astonishing drop. Once again, however, I would
emphasize that, when one is dealing with such small
totals, it would be extremely unwise to draw any
significant conclusions. It is at least satisfactory
to note that no illegitimate deaths took place
during the year.
Eleven point three per thousand of
the infant deaths took place in children under four
weeks of age; 8.5 per thousand occurred in children
under the age of one week. It is also satisfactory
to be able to report that only four stillbirths
occurred during the year, as against seven in 1959.
No maternal deaths occurred during the year.
The year was also placid in relation
to infectious diseases. The total number of cases
notified during the year fell from 305 in 1959 to
120 in 1960.
As I have commented before, however,
epidemiology is no longer concerned merely with
infectious diseases, but embraces a variety of
conditions prejudicial to health, or to put this in
another way, conditions which are capable of causing
impaired health or actual disease. Thus, it is
our duty to make a careful search for any conditions,
hidden or disclosed, which are detrimental to the
health and well-being of the community. I need
scarcely emphasize that it is much more easy to
prevent the setting up of such conditions than to
remove them once they have been established. For
this reason I have always pursued a policy of bringing
before the Public Health Committee all matters
affecting the health of the District, whether these
matters concern environmental or personal hygiene.
In this connection I count myself extremely fortunate
that the Public Health Committee has always studied
my statements and returns with the care which one
has come to expect from the Friern Barnet Urban
District Council. It is, I feel, true to say that,
unless the Public Health Committee can be supplied
with the fullest information, the Medical Officer of
Health cannot expect that constant support without
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