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BOROUGH OF WILLESDEN
Health Department,
54, Winchester Avenue,
Kilburn, London, N.W.6.
July, 1958.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Willesden.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit the annual report on the health and sanitary circumstances of the borough for the
year 1957.
There has been a slight reduction in the population, but overcrowding in the borough is probably
as serious as ever. There is a continual shift in population and the tendency is for large families to come
to live in the borough, with consequent difficulties in housing accommodation.
The birth rate has shown another rise, but even so, there were fewer mothers delivered at home
because still more (about nine out of ten) were delivered in institutions.
The general death rate shows a slight decrease, and there is a further welcome reduction in the
infant mortality rate. The stillbirth rate, however, remains approximately the same. Although prematurity
is no longer responsible for so many infant deaths it still accounts for a large number and for many stillbirths.
There were many more premature births in the worst wards and, in general, these wards showed an
infant mortality rate more than double that of the best wards. In particular, some of the obvious preventable
deaths came from the lower social classes.
Maternal mortality is no longer a serious problem in the area. However, maternal complications
are still prevalent and special preventive measures are taken. For example, doctors and midwives are well
aware of the dangers of toxaemia, and mothers are encouraged to report the early symptoms immediately.
Coronary disease still plays a large part in the death rate but there is no simple solution at present.
It is unlikely that the reduction of fats in the diet would have any appreciable effect on the incidence of this
disease.
Respiratory diseases are the next group in importance, and in recent years there has been a complete
reversal in the significance of cancer of the lung as compared with tuberculosis. This year the deaths from
cancer of the lung were more than eight times those from tuberculosis. For the first time no female in the
borough died of tuberculosis.
Bronchitis still causes more deaths than cancer of the lung. Both bronchitis and cancer of the lung
can be largely prevented. The answer lies in reduction of smoking from our chimneys, both industrial and
domestic, and in giving up the smoking of cigarettes. The Council has been very active in the reduction of
atmospheric pollution and the Minister has confirmed its first smokeless zone in Neasden. However, the
Clean Air Act has many omissions and weaknesses and it is unlikely, by itself, to contribute much to a
reduction in respiratory diseases. It is, however, a start, and the Council has taken the opportunity of
intensifying their campaign for the reduction of smoke and dust emitted into the air.
Health education for reducing the habit of cigarette smoking has been extended in the schools and
factories. It is felt, however, that the main success will come from dealing with the young, rather than the
old. It should be the responsibility of parents and teachers, as well as doctors, to ensure that school children
do not accept the risk of cancer of the lung lightly by starting to smoke early in their lives.
A new danger is the increase in radiation in the atmosphere, and it is advisable to have monitoring
sites now, so that comparisons can be made to assess how this hazard develops in the future.
Tuberculosis is becoming much less of a problem in the area. There are still marked differences
between the various wards, and it is clear that housing, particularly overcrowding, and general social conditions
still have an important effect in this disease. The rates in the worst wards are at least double those
in the best ones.
School leavers are still being vaccinated with B.C.G., and it is probable that this preventive measure
is now helping materially to reduce the incidence of the disease. During the year, a factory survey was
conducted by the Mass X-ray Unit and discovered 15 new cases of tuberculosis, three being Willesden
residents. Other factories were also visited to X-ray contacts of infective cases. Many talks have been
given on this subject, both in schools and in factories, so that the public are not only being made aware of
the problems involved, but are helping to solve them.