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ANNUAL REPORT
of the
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR THE YEAR 1958
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Hendon.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year 1958.
In the early days of Public Health when the information published in the Bills of Mortality
showed the important causes of death, the aims of preventive medicine were obvious and simple.
Last year in Hendon the health statistics were good and included the lowest infant
mortality rate ever recorded in the Borough. Two important diseases, cancer of the lung and
coronary thrombosis both showed an increased death rate. The cause of the former was
mentioned in last year's report.
Coronary thrombosis has shown a nation wide increase since 1940 but the cause of this
increase is not known. The disease is found to be more prevalent in countries with a high
standard of living but better facilities for more accurate diagnosis may account for this fact.
Three possible causes for the disease have been suggested; too much fat in the diet, which is
one of the factors common to people with a high standard of living; too little exercise, because
the disease is common in countries where cars and T.V. sets are plentiful, and the third possible
factor is emotional strain. The Russian author, Pasternak, has his character Dr. Zhivago say as
a possible explanation of his heart disease "The great majority of us are required to live a life
of constant systematic duplicity.Any one or all of the above factors may play some part in the
causation of this disease.
The real problem of preventive medicine today is not so much how we can add years to life
but how we can add life to years. There are many and varied possibilities.
The extent of ill health in the community can be judged by a study of sickness certificates
issued to staff and work people in the Council's service. Most noticeable as a cause of sickness
absence is chronic bronchitis, which is responsible for about one sixth of the working time lost.
One hopes that progress with Clean Air will in time reduce wastage from this cause.
Much of the work of the Public Health Department aims at better houses, and with less
dampness we should expect less of the rheumatic diseases attributed to that cause, Some of the
older houses have dark staircases and kitchens and as these are dealt with falls on stairs should
diminish and kitchen hygiene improve. The number of older people is increasing and their demands
for housing are often less articulate than those of younger people but their needs are very real.
They need better standards than a younger, fitter family can tolerate — failing vision demands the
best possible illumination with bright contrasting colours; physical weakness calls for the
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