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5
Public Health Department,
Council Offices,
Billet Lane,
HORNCHURCH,
Essex.
20th May, 1962.
Telephone:
Hornchurch 52555.
To The Chairman and Members of the
Hornchurch Urban District Council.
Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present my Report on the health of the district for the year
1961.
It is with real regret that I note the death during the year of Dr.
Alfred Ball, Medical Officer of Health of Romford Urban and Rural
District Councils from 1921, part-time Medical Officer of Health
Hornchurch 1926 and the first full-time Medical Officer of Health of
this district from 1934 until his retirement at the end of 1945.
I am indebted to Dr. O'Dwyer for the following appreciation:-
"Dr. Alfred Ball's association with Public Health work In this part
of Essex covered a span of 26 years. He served the area In the early
formative years of Local Government in Essex, becoming your first
full-time Medical Officer of Health in 1934 when the district was enlarged.
He was of retiring disposition, but his personal charm and
many kindly actions won him the respect and affection of all with whom
he was associated. He retired in December 1945 because of failing
health, having earned the highest regard of the people of the district
whose interests he had served so faithfully."
Population; and Vital Statistics.
The population showed a material increase - mid-year figure 131,070.
The birth and death rates each showed a slight drop, whilst the
Infant Mortality figure rose somewhat.
Clean Air.
Continued progress is being made In our objective of a smoke-free
Hornchurch.
Food and Drugs.
The year's work was largely routine; always interesting, never
glamorous. This section of our Department plays an invaluable part
in safeguarding the quality of our food supplies.
Sewerage.
The Regional Scheme has not yet achieved the strictly practical
stage, although a certain amount of progress to that end appears to
have been made.