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6
Tuberculosis.
Our Tuberculosis Register showed an increase of 22 pulmonary
and 6 non-pulmonary cases as against 1952, but included in these
figures are some 14 additional inward transfers in the first category
and 4 in the second.
Our death rate at 0.2 per 1,000 is identical with the national
average and is below the average for the Great Towns.
I would like to express my appreciation of Dr. S. Thompson's
ready help and co-operation throughout the year.
Housing.
The number of houses privately built showed a sharp rise and the
Council house-building programme showed a fall in the number made
available for occupation. The overall picture is that of marked housing
development and our population at 105,100 continues to increase.
Atmospheric Pollution.
We have further increased our number of instruments and now
have available a fairly representative picture of our district.
This problem permits neither of ready solution nor of defeatism.
It will not be adequately tackled let alone vanquished until every
Authority and individual regards the problem as personal. It is,
however, becoming almost fashionable to show an increased interest
in the subject and the press have done much to keep alive the public
feeling generated in recent years by the " Smog of 1952."
Food and Drugs.
A satisfactory year's working has been carried out on comprehensive
lines as will be evidenced by the facts noted elsewhere in this
report.
Home Safety.
It seems shortly that a local committee will be formed to which
the Council may subscribe. The freedom of action permitted an
Authority such as ours is not, I consider, reconcilable with the avowed
necessity for tackling it by all possible means.
General Hygiene.
I must particularly emphasize that the success of our work is
largely patterned by the painstaking, conscientious day-by-day routine
contribution of the individual Sanitary Inspectors. Our district is
new and rapidly developing but presents nevertheless a very wide
variety of sanitary problems. The ostentatious side of any departmental
work is apt to achieve publicity quite incommensurate with
its value ; the unostentatious sets the standard.
Acknowledgments.
In appreciation of your understanding of the work of my own
and other Council Departments I cannot do better than reaffirm my
best thanks for your support throughout the year. I am especially
conscious of the debt which I owe to Dr. O'Dwyer, my deputy, Mr.
Randall my chief Sanitary Inspector and Mr. Blay my chief Clerk.
I am, your obedient servant,
James Gorman, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H.,
Medical Officer of Health.