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Posters on smoking and lung cancer were exhibited on the Council's 53 poster sites, in the four
health clinics and the six libraries on three occasions during the year. 5,000 bookmarks were also distributed
from the libraries. The Middlesex Executive Council kindly circulated a poster, six copies of each of four
different leaflets and 20 bookmarks on the same subject to all general practitioners in the borough for display
in their waiting rooms.
Altogether one can look back on the year with the satisfaction of knowing that 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 in the past 50 years is a reflection mainly of improved living conditions. Better
housing and 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 of various diseases for 1962 and 1963 is shown in
Table 13.
Diphtheria
For the ninth year running there were no cases of diphtheria.
Dysentery
There were no localised outbreaks of dysentery. The number of cases confirmed (72) decreased
compared with 1962 (109). Unfortunately a child of four months died from the disease a few hours after
being admitted to hospital.
Food poisoning
There were no outbreaks of food poisoning. The number of cases confirmed (17) was the lowest
figure since 1956 when there were 15 confirmed cases.
Measles
In common with the remainder of the country, measles reached epidemic proportions during the
year. 1,948 cases were notified compared with 520 in 1962. There were no deaths from the disease.
Meningococcal infection
Three cases were confirmed. A child of one month died from meningococcal meningitis. The
disease was certified by the Coroner after post-mortem examination.
Ophthalmia neonatorum
There was no impairment of the vision in the five cases of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Poliomyelitis
It is pleasing to report that there were no cases of poliomyelitis, which is probably the result of the
steady increase in the number of people protected against the disease. One case was notified but re-diagnosed
mumps, meningitis and encephalitis.
Puerperal pyrexia
Since 1st August, 1961, puerperal pyrexia applies to any 'febrile condition occurring in a woman in
whom a temperature of 100 -4 degrees Fahrenheit has occurred within 14 days after childbirth or miscarriage'.
The number of cases notified (134) was slightly less than last year (157).
Smallpox
There were no notified cases of smallpox. Nineteen contacts of the disease were kept under surveillance
for 21 days from the last date of contact.
In accordance with the International Sanitary Regulations, the signatures of doctors on 2,496 certificates
of vaccination were authenticated by the department.
Typhoid fever
Four cases of typhoid fever were notified but only three were confirmed. An infection in a child
was traced to a grandmother recently come from abroad, who was a carrier. In spite of extensive enquiries
it was not possible to trace the source of infection in one case.
Whooping cough
The incidence of whooping cough increased in 1963 compared with the previous year. The case
rate per 1,000 population (1.47) was a little above that of England and Wales (.74) (Table 14).