London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hornchurch 1956

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornchurch]

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5
Public Health Department,
Council Offices,
Billet Lane,
HORNCHURCH,
15th May, 1957.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Hornchurch Urban District Council.
Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I beg to present my Annual Report for 1956.
General District Development.
The district quite manifestly continued to develop throughout the
year especially in the South Hornchurch neighbourhood. Such expansion
necessarily brings with it problems of roads, sewers, refuse collection
and the like. No expansion is one-sided in its implications
and when a new house is erected its occupants not only pay rates
but demand services. The difficulties, however, of the local authority
in providing these services are often not wholly understood by those
desirous of receiving them.
In the provision of particular amenities mention must be made of
the new swimming bath at Harrow Lodge Park (described elsewhere in
my report) which was opened in December.
Vital Statistics.
An increase in the birth rate from 15.45 to 16.79 and a diminished
death rate of 10.59 as against 11.60 are satisfactory features.
The infant mortality rate shows a slight rise from 18.29 to 21.86.
Infectious Diseases.
These have ceased to be a continuous major problem although even
individual cases apart from sporadic outbreaks of certain diseases make
it necessary always to be on the alert to deal with the avoidance of spread.
Atmospheric Pollution.
The emergence of the Clean Air Act 1955 with its repercussions
upon industrialists and householder alike was a noteworthy feature of
the year and it is safe to say that no future Annual Report for some
time to come will be complete without some note of the effects of this
piece of legislation which must essentially be so cumulative in its results.
Our routine investigations into the question of Clean Air in Hornchurch
were pursued at a number of places throughout the district.