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To compensate the decrease in the number of lectures given to social, religious and political organisations
the department are arranging more talks to factory employees. The Medical Officer of Health and
his deputy give these talks during lunch-hour breaks and they were well attended and very useful (Table 11).
To improve the efficiency of the home help service three series of five talks, together with a brains
trust, were given to home helps. The talks dealt with hygiene in the home, diet and shopping, care of the
sick, care of mothers and children, accidents and emergencies.
The Chairman of the Home Safety Committee gave talks on Accidents in the Home to religious
and social organisations (see page 22).
During February and March a diphtheria immunisation campaign was held: the subject was
introduced into mothercraft classes; posters were displayed at clinics, day nurseries, libraries, swimming
baths, police stations, public conveniences, shops, factories, churches, and poster sites ; films were shown at
two cinemas and slides at a third : a circular letter was sent to general practitioners : and advertisements
were inserted in the local papers.
Altogether one can look back on the year with the satisfaction of knowing that more and more
people in Willesden are being enlisted in the battle against disease.
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
The declining incidence and mortality of infectious diseases such as diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles,
whooping cough and typhoid fever in the past 50 years is a reflection mainly of improving living standards.
Better housing and better nutrition, improved ventilation, and smaller families have helped to increase
resistance and reduce the possibilities of spread of infection. Health visitors and public health inspectors
have played an invaluable role in health education and in improving hygiene.
A summary of notified and confirmed cases, and deaths from various diseases for 1956 and 1957 is
shown in Table 13.
Whooping cough (table 14)
The incidence of whooping cough rose slightly in 1957 compared with the previous year, but it was
still lower than for the years 1950 to 1954 inclusive. In spite of this rise, however, it continued to be lower
than for England and Wales, as it has been since 1947. This lower incidence, however, cannot be attributed
to whooping cough vaccination (see report for 1953).
There was one death in a child of 10 months, associated with convulsions and broncho-pneumonia.
Poliomyelitis
In marked contrast with 1955, there was no outbreak in 1957 (Table 15).
There were 2 deaths ; a girl aged 12 who died from encephalomyelitis, and a boy aged 5 years
who died from polio-encephalomyelitis associated with toxaemia, cerebral oedema and cranial vein thrombosis.
Dysentery
There was a marked decrease in the number of cases of dysentery notified, compared with the previous
year (see Table 13), yet in the country generally the disease was much more prevalent than before the
war. It is usually a mild disease, causing no deaths, but can cause some disruption and discomfort in the life
of the community.
The only outbreak during the year occurred at the hostel for homeless families, 91, Dartmouth
Road, on the 17th December. 28 mothers and children were affected, 12 with mild symptoms. Four children
were admitted to Neasden Hospital. The hostel was in quarantine for two months, the outbreak taking some
time to clear up. because of the overcrowded conditions and unsatisfactory washing accommodation.
Food poisoning
There was one outbreak of food poisoning in a private school (see page 12).
A man aged 71 years died from acute bronchitis caused by salmonella typhi-murium ; the coroner
held an inquest and the death was recorded as due to misadventure. The source of the infection was not
traced.
Puerperal pyrexia
Since 1st August, 1951. puerperal pyrexia applies to any 'febrile condition occurring in a woman in
whom a temperature of 100-4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees Centigrade) has occurred within fourteen
days after childbirth or miscarriage'. There was a slight increase in the number of cases in 1957, but no
outbreak occurred in any institution.
Asian Influenza
In the early part of the year extensive outbreaks of influena occurred in several countries of the Far
East. The virus responsible for the epidemics belonged to Influenza A. Group, but the strain isolated was
different from that of past outbreaks. As most population groups had not previously been in contact with
this type of virus, they has acquired no immunity, and the disease spread rapidly through Asia and Europe,
reaching the British Isles in the late summer.