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step taken in the protection of the youth of the Borough against
tuberculosis. Indeed as I write this Report, information has been
received that the scheme is now to be extended both to younger
children and to older adolescents. We welcome this extension, and
are already taking steps to put the new proposals into operation.
Mass Radiography
Once again, after a period of two years. Mass Radiography
Unit 6A visited Wood Green Between the 15th and 25th September
fourteen sessions were held for the purpose of X-raying members
of the public.
Leaflets prepared by the Unit giving details of the visit
were distributed by the Public Health Department through theusual
channels, Ihe fullest use possible was made of the various media
available to us for publicising this worthwhile service. As I
mentioned in my introductory remarks, advantage was taken of the
Council s carnival parade to enter one of the Unit s vehicles with
a told appealing slogan prominently displayed on its side. This
vehicle took the third prize in its class. This is the first time,
I understand that a vehicle of the Mass Radiography Service has
ever been successfully entered for anything of a like nature.
Facilities were again offered us by the Wood Green Horticultural
Society at their Annual Show for a stand from which leaflets and
information could be distributed. Several hundred inflated balloons
were distributed to children in the Horticultural Show grounds
informing the public of the current visit of the Mass Radiography
Unit to Wood Green. The Unit was again sited on Spouters Corner,
the response being highly satisfactory, especially when it is
remembered that fewer public sessions were held than on the previous
visit., and that at this time articles appeared in certain sections
of the press pointing out the possible hazards of radiography,
Since then, of course, the Adrian Committee s reassuring report
has been published This Committee was appointed in 1956 under
Lord Adrian, O.M F.R.S. M.D. F.R.C.P. to review the present
practice in diagnostic radiography, radiology and the use of
radio-therapy in non malignant conditions. The findings of this
Committee show that mass radiography. properly conducted, makes
negligible contribution to the total radiation to which the popu
lation is daily exposed and that its general use should therefore
not be curtailed. Indeed the Committee states "In particular
the value of mass miniature radiography is so great that it must
not be curtailed without great cause. It is also pointed out that
in 1957 mass X-ray led to the discovery of nearly 18,000 cases of
respiratory tuberculosis cases alone together with 63,000 other
abnormalities- The report goes on to say that a person who has
had ten mass X ray examinations over a number of years would have
his chances of developing leukaemia in any year increased if at
all from fifty to at most fifty one chances in a million The
Committee were satisfied that the somatic risk at these levels is
on any interpretation far outweighed by the benefits of mass
miniature radiography With this heartening report now before the
public s eye, we hope that subsequent visits of Unit 6A to this
Borough will have even greater support
Mrs E, Waters, Secretary of the Unit has informed me that
the Unit was again very pleased with the response they enjoyed in
Wood Green and with the assistance they received from the Public
Health Department We now look forward to a subsequent visit in
the early autumn of 1960
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