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BOROUGH OF WILLESDEN
Health Department,
54, Winchester Avenue,
Kilburn, London, N.W.6.
July, 1959.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Willesden.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
1 beg to submit the annual report of the health and circumstances of the borough for the year 1958.
Despite the further slight reduction in the population, overcrowding in the borough is probably as
serious as ever.
The Cricklewood Residents Association complained of overcrowding in houses owned by coloured
people, so causing '"deterioration of the very residential area." The Council had already asked for co-operation
from landlords in Cricklewood and Mapesbury to prevent the deterioration of property, excessive sub-letting
and substandard conversions, but with very little success. The Council in operating its public health powers
would not discriminate against coloured people, but would investigate suspected statutory overcrowding or
other health nuisance.
The Willesden International Friendship Committee was formed to deal with the many difficult
problems, including that of housing and overcrowding. Four West Indian students studying at the University
of London Institute of Education for the Diploma in Health Education carried out a survey on the integration
of coloured people in Willesden as part of their training. Wide publicity given to their findings helped to
draw the attention of many people to this matter.
There was a further rise in the birth rate, and as the proportion delivered at hospital has remained
about the same, more babies have been born at home. Owing to the general shortage of midwives this has
caused a considerable strain on the service, and Wembley midwives had to help in part of the area. There
is a great need to recruit more midwives in the area, but there is a national shortage and this will continue
until their rates of pay and conditions of work are improved.
More babies were also born in the hospital, which has resulted in a greater demand for beds which
cannot always be satisfied. Consequently, there are several emergency cases where mothers cannot be delivered
at home because of poor circumstances and yet have no hospital bed booked. This often leads to delay when
the confinement actually takes place. This situation should be remedied quickly, otherwise serious complications
can occur. Maternal mortality is no longer a serious problem in the area, but complications of pregnancy and
midwifery do occur, and although a mother may escape with her life, she may be left with a chronic disability.
There was a slight rise in the infant mortality and neonatal rates during the year, accompanied,
however, by a fall in the stillbirth rate. The rates over the past three years emphasise once again the
importance of social conditions. The rates in the worst wards are anything from three to four times as high
as those in the best ones. Prematurity, which is still a major cause for stillbirths, infant mortality and infant
disabilities, is often associated with poverty, and is therefore more common in the overcrowded wards.
The common infectious diseases of childhood are far less important than previously. For example,
the incidence of whooping cough fell sharply with the result that the number of cases confirmed was the lowest
recorded since 1919.
This was by far the best year for poliomyelitis since 1951, and it is likely that vaccination has played
a part in this.
However, the number of cases of dysentery has increased, and as usual, there were the isolated
outbreaks where children are gathered together — in The Bungalow Nursery and in a day nursery.
In contrast, there were no outbreaks of food poisoning, and this is almost certainly due to the
improvement of hygiene following the efforts of the Public Health Inspectors to ensure that food in the
borough is prepared and served without danger to health. There has been an increase in the number of
specimens of contaminated food reported by members of the public. This is to be welcomed because there
must be many such cases which do not come to the notice of the Council.
An outbreak of epidemic vomiting occurred in a school in the area, but fortunately it was of short
duration without any complications.