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per cent efficiency be produced, there are difficulties of preparation,
distribution and injection of virtually the whole population of the
country, and getting it immune before the epidemic strikes. In
this connection it must be remembered that before a vaccine can
be produced, the responsible organism has to be known, and that
full immunity could not be attained until some weeks after the
first of two spaced injections had been given. It will thus be
obvious that there are still many serious obstacles to be overcome
before we can hope to control effectively these periodic invasions
of the influenza viruses.
Whilst on the subject of immunisation procedures, it is gratifying
to find that the County Medical Officer is able to report
that 3,161 Orpington children were vaccinated against anterior
poliomyelitis during the year, a figure which it is anticipated will
be exceeded greatly during 1958. As the programme gathers
momentum, it is sincerely to be hoped that its beneficial effects will
make themselves obvious by a greatly reduced incidence of the
disease, although we were fortunate in Orpington in only having
seven cases notified during the course of the year.
Encouraging facts to which attention should be drawn include
the birth and death rates, the former of which is well in excess of
that of the country as a whole, and the latter of which is well below
the corresponding national figure. The infant mortality rate is also
very favourable judged by the same standard, and the steady rise
in population noted over past years has been maintained.
With the exception of measles, infectious disease was not a
prominent feature in Orpington during the year, but numbers of
notifications can be very deceptive and the really important feature
is whether these illnesses are or are not serious when they strike
their victims. It it therefore a matter for thankfulness that most
of the infections have been, with the occasional exception, of low
virulence, but have nevertheless one hopes, given most of the
sufferers life-long immunity to further attacks.
There are two matters affecting health which although they are
not confined to this local authority's area, cannot go unnoticed.
I refer to the problems of cancer of the lung, and accidents in the
home. In the case of the former, evidence has been accumulating
of a probable association between this condition and tobacco
smoking, and at the risk of being repetitive, I would once again
warn my readers of this fact. In the case of home accidents, which
we are now told exceed even casualties occurring on the roads, a
peculiarly tragic state of affairs appears to have arisen. The very
existence of the word " homesick " suggests that our homes are a
haven and refuge from the more unpleasant buffets of the outside
world, but if we have indeed reached the state where an accident
in the home is more likely than in the streets, it behoves each and