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Public Health Department,
White Hart Lane (Old) School,
Wood Green, N.22
June, 1954.
To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors,
of the Borough of Wood Green.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the Medical
Officer of Health for the year 1953. The form taken by this Report
follows closely the pattern of previous years. As hitherto, the work
carried out in Wood Green by the Middlesex County Council in
regard to the personal health services receives uncritical mention
only. It so happens, however, that I submitted to Area Health
Committee No. 2 a brief report on the work carried out in this field
during 1953. As Wood Green is one of the constituent districts
which make up Area No. 2, I am including this document as
Appendix 5 to this Report, with permission of the County Council.
Without the information which it contains, the health picture for
the district would remain incomplete.
The year 1953 was, on the whole, a quiet one, with little
spectacular to record. This is satisfactory since, although progress
continues to be made in a variety of directions, it is seldom that
spectacular or dramatic results can be reported in regard to public
health or preventive medicine. The victories of preventive
medicine are unobtrusive and too often pass unnoticed. Because of
this, public health is frequently taken for granted. This attitude can
lead to danger. Preventive medicine must always be regarded as the
foundation on which our system of living, at least so far as positive
health is concerned, should be based. For this very adequate reason,
it merits our constant and most careful attention.
Wood Green possesses many advantages, and not a few truly
valuable health amenities. It must be our duty to maintain these
amenities, so that the community can gain the fullest adtvantage
from them. It is here that the work of public health can be so
important. The Public Health Department is fully alive to the need
for constant vigilance. The Department will continue to initiate
such action as appears desirable to ensure, first, that conditions
prejudicial to health are removed, and second, that a progressive
policy is being pursued.
The vital statistics for 1953 call for little comment. The birth
rate (11.6) shows a slight decrease from the rate for 1952 which
was 12.5. The death rate has also fallen, from 11.5 to 10.04. The
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