View report page

Housing remains one of our most serious problems. It is impossible to assess in full the mental and
physical harm stemming from this cause, but it is certain to be considerable. It is too early to say to what
extent the Housing Act, 1961, will help in improving housing conditions and in controlling overcrowding.
Living in overcrowded conditions is frequently the lot of the coloured immigrants to Willesden. This
and the problem of race prejudice has occupied the attention of the Willesden International Friendship Committee,
which is doing invaluable work towards racial integration.
The problem of tuberculosis is still with us. It is perhaps a good thing that we should keep
reminding ourselves of this since the effectiveness of chemotherapy, B.C.G. vaccination, pasteurisation and
so on tend to make us think that the battle has been won. Much work lies ahead before this scourge is
finally defeated.
There were twenty-four suicides in Willesden in 1962, a tragic waste of life which so far we have
not had much capacity to prevent. It is encouraging to learn, therefore, that the Willesden Council of Social
Service, among its many useful activities, is working towards the setting up of a branch of the Samaritans in
the borough. This organisation already exists in other parts of the country and in Europe and Asia, and is
a useful field in which the churches can work together. The "Nursing Times" of 3rd May, 1963, mentions a
drop in attempted suicides in Bournemouth by 50% the year after the Samaritans started there, and in West
Berlin an average of thirty-three on New Year's night dropped to four. The Samaritans' policy of offering
friendship to people going through a period of depression, referring more difficult cases to other agencies, has
proved helpful to many, and has not shown the disadvantages that some might have expected where comparatively
untrained workers deal with emotional problems. It is important to remember that, for the most
part, unhappiness arises not from mental disease, but from an inability to cope with the difficulties of everyday
life; and here friendship is usually all that is needed until the crisis is past.
The improvement in the dental service is reassuring, but it is depressing to see the amount of avoidable
suffering caused by dental caries. Fluoridation of water supplies would reduce this by a third to a half.
The Willesden Home Safety Committee has further developed and expanded its work. Its members,
who come from different walks of life, have combined their experience and skills to bring to the notice of
the public the many dangers which surround them in everyday life, and the ways in which these might be
avoided. The increasing success of their efforts tends to conceal, however, how few people there are to do
the essential work, and the Committee has now reached the stage when it will be unable to expand its work
unless there are more members. A large number of local organisations have undertaken to send representatives
to its meetings, but only a small proportion actually do so. It is to be hoped that they will remedy
this situation, and that many other organisations will also participate in this interesting and useful work.
Finally, appreciation is due to the staff for their loyal and enthusiastic endeavours during the year,
and sincere thanks and gratitude to all members of the Council, particularly the members of the Health
Committee, who have played such an important part in the health and welfare of the people of the borough.
I have the honour to be Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
E. GRUNDY,
Medical Officer of Health.