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Annual Report of the
Medical Officer of Health
for the Year 1949
Public Health Department,
Council Offices,
Northwood.
June, 1950.
To the Chairman and Members of the
Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council.
Madam Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The year 1949 has passed without any serious epidemics in
the area though there was a smallpox scare in June that started
in a case which developed in a fireman in the s.s. "Mooltan."
Six cases were reported subsequently in this country and I regret
to say that they all died. The nearest case to us was in the
Wembley area. Altogether there were eight contacts in this
district who were kept under close supervision and none of them
developed smallpox.
One case of tetanus occurred in March in a child aged 3 years
due to a fall on a mound of earth in Hillcrest Gardens, South
Ruislip. I am glad to say the child eventually recovered.
The Registrar-General's estimated population for mid-year
1949 again shows an increase of over a thousand, 64,270 to 66,010.
The birth rate of 15.209 shows a decrease from the figure of
17.099 per 1,000 population for 1948. The death rate from all
causes shows a slight decrease, namely 7.347 as compared with
7.686 per 1,000 population in 1948. Further particulars can be
found in subsequent pages.
Action under the Housing Act—Ruislip Almshouses, which
were found to be in a very bad state of repair, have been partly
reconditioned and made habitable. A wooden structure named
"Springtime," Priors Gardens, South Ruislip, has been demolished,
and demolition orders were made in respect of "Asp"
and Poplar Cottages in Joel Street but owing to re-housing difficulties
and shortage of building materials, no further action has
actually been taken.
A pamphlet entitled "Hints to Food Handlers" was distributed
to all food retailers in the district and a Clean Food
Guild was suggested but has not yet been instituted.
Various complaints regarding dirty milk bottles and foreign
objects in milk and bread were investigated and in one case it was
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