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MEDICAL OFFICER'S ANNUAL REPORT.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Hayes, Middlesex.
June, 1956
To The Chairman and Members of the Council,
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year opened with a visit from the Mass Radiography Unit
in January. Sessions were held at the Queen's Hall and over 5,000
people attended ; from these four active cases of chest disease were
ascertained. This may seem a small proportion, but when one
reflects that these cases were previously unknown and constituted
a potential source of danger to others, the whole visit becomes
worthwhile. Detailed results of the survey will be found elsewhere
in this report.
During the spring and early summer there was a sharp epidemic
of measles, 1,154 cases being notified, the majority of moderate
severity. This follows the now well-known cycle for this disease,
as the last epidemic was in 1953. There was no other major
incidence of disease during the year and the vital statistics follow
the pattern of previous years, but with a slight increase above the
last 2 years. The Registrar General gives a special factor in respect
of the birth and death rates, and the use of this enables the rates
for the district to be compared accurately with those for the country
as a whole. Both the rates for this district are lower than those for
England and Wales. There was one maternal death during the year.
1955 will long be remembered for its extraordinarily fine
summer, but even this had its drawbacks in the form of the increased
number of cases of Poliomyelitis which occurred between August and
October. The average person is so frightened by this disease that
he tends to shun the relations of patients, and by this thoughtless
action causes much additional suffering. Paralysis, when it occurs,
is so dramatic that its appearance tends to throw facts out of their
true perspective. By far the greater number of cases of poliomyelitis
which occur are of the non-paralytic variety. The figures
in Hayes this year were 14 paralytic and 8 non-paralytic cases.
The picture, however, is not altogether a true one, as many nonparalytic
cases are so mild that doubt exists in the doctor's mind
regarding the diagnosis. These are not notified and so do not
figure in the statistics. It should also be remembered that other
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