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3
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR 1957
Town Hall,
Anerley Road, S.E.20.
28th May, 1958.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present my Annual Report for the year 1957 which has been
prepared in accordance with Circulars 1/58 and 3/58 of the Ministry of Health.
The vital statistics for the year call for little comment. The death rates
in every case are below the national ones, but the birth rate, which shows an
increase, is considerably above that for the whole country.
There was very little infectious disease notified in the district during the
year, the largest number being measles which was of a mild type, and whooping
cough. An outbreak of influenza at the end of the year affected a large number
of people particularly in the school population. This accounted for the rise in
pneumonia notifications received. For ten years it is gratifying to report no
case of diphtheria has occurred. During the year further progress was made
under the auspices of the County Council with poliomyelitis vaccination and by
the end of the year 813 children had received two injections. There were three
cases notified of this disease during the year, one of which was paralytic. With
the increase in the number of children vaccinated, one can hope for a considerable
decline in these cases.
Further poster displays were used during the year emphasising the need for
hygiene in the handling of food, both in the home and elsewhere. It is pleasing
to record that no cases of food poisoning were notified although three cases in
one family came to the notice of the department, which proved to be due to roast
pork which had apparently been contaminated in the home.
Once again it is a pleasure to record the large amount of work done for
the old people by the various voluntary organisations in the district. With the
opening of the Melvin Hall a very attractive centre for their various activities has
been provided.
It has been possible during the year to make further progress with housing
and with slum clearance, representation having been made in respect of two
further areas.
The year has been a difficult one for the department because we have had
a vacancy for a public health inspector throughout the year. In a small
establishment such as this it is a very serious loss. With the impact of the Rent
Act this has meant a lot of work for the two senior inspectors and a certain
amount of work has of necessity had to be put on one side until we have the
staff and time to deal with it. That so much work has successfully been accomplished
reflects great credit on all members of the department, and I should
like to express my appreciation of their efforts in this report.
During the year it was hoped to have made a pilot investigation on smoke
abatement but this had to be shelved for the time being until it is possible to
make the necessary inspection.