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5
Public Health Department,
Council Offices,
Billet Lane,
HORNCHUCH.
30th May, 1956.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Hornchurch Urban District Council.
Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present to you the Annual Report on the health of the
district during 1955. This in general follows the usual lines. An
annual reflection on the contents of these reports does suggest that
they are at least unusual in that they succeed in publicising the
prosaic, something which at the present time is difficult to achieve
but is by no means a bad thing in certain instances.
Vital Statistics:
Population:
The main rates are satisfactory in that there is a slight increase
in the birth rate from 14.73 to 15.45 and a corresponding decrease
in the death rate from 12.08 to 11.60.
The infant mortality rate is fractionally up from 17.38 to 18.29,
the neonatal rate being slightly down.
The population estimated mid-1955 was 110,900 as against a
corresponding figure of 107,100 in the previous year.
Infectious Diseases:
Poliomyelitis accounted for some 25 cases during the year—
the highest number yet recorded and an increase of some 21 over
the previous year. A more detailed examination of this position will
be noted later in the report.
Measles showed a very steep increase in the period reviewed
as for this disease it was an epidemic year.
Pertussis also showed a much less marked increase from 108
to 163.
Infective Hepatitis (Catarrhal Jaundice) at 24 cases was less
than half the figure for the previous year.
The Dysentery and Food Poisoning group of diseases showed
no increase worthy of note and reflected a negligible incidence.
It is significant as an index of medical progress that one death
only occurred from Whooping Cough and no deaths from Scarlet
Fever or Measles. Although Poliomyelitis was of a paralytic type
in 12 cases, only one death was noted.
Housing:
The local picture in this regard is one of continued progress
since the number of houses built both privately and by the Local
Authority showed a substantial increase as compared with 1954 and
our programme for dealing with sub-standard dwellings—a comprehensive
report upon which was submitted last year—has now
got well under way.