View report page

10
has been that of finding suitable accommodation for those who are
no longer able to care for themselves at home and are unable to
call upon the assistance of relatives or friends. Both statutory and
voluntary bodies are doing their utmost to help and provide a wide
range of services available for the use of the elderly, but here again.
I feel that it is most important that, especially with an ageing
population, the preventive aspect should not be lost sight of and
that we should, one and all. live our lives to-day on the assumption
that one day it may be our own turn to grow old. It may well be
said that "this is all very fine, but what am I supposed to do
about it," to which my short answer would be to keep your interests
and hobbies throughout life however long it may be, so that when
the time comes that the body is enfeebled, yet old age will be
graceful and happy and as such, will still attract the younger
generation, on whose help the old eventually become dependent.
The next problem to which I should like to refer is that of
the viruses. Virology as a science is still in its infancy, but it is
already showing signs of developing into a very bonny childhood
to be followed, one hopes, by an even greater future. It is not
outside the realms of possibility that in the study of virology we
may have the answers to many of the outstanding problems of
medical science, and indeed, even as this is being written, preparations
are well under way to start the vaccination scheme against
anterior poliomyelitis, which is itself, of course, one of the virus
diseases. The results of this great new attack on the ravages of a
most distressing condition will be awaited eagerly, but it is bound
to be some considerable time before its effect can be estimated
accurately. I do not propose to refer further to the incidence of
anterior poliomyelitis in this Borough during 1955, as those who
are interested can find a full account under the infectious diseases
section.
As preventive measures have been given such prominence in
this letter, I should be failing in my duty not to refer to the vexed
question of smoking and cancer of the lung. That there is some
association between the two seems to be fairly well established, but
it is only right and proper to point out that this condition can effect
non-smokers and therefore the inference is that smoking may be
a contributory factor to cancer of the lung, rather than the actual
cause of it. It is also interesting to note that the incidence of this
disease is much higher in urban communities than in rural ones,
which suggests that atmospheric pollution may be a contributory
factor ; but of course, this does not take into account the many
other differences existing between life in the town and life in the
country, which may be of paramount importance. I have placed
on record the bare facts as known to me and from which each, in
the present state of our knowledge, must make his own decision.
Those whose patience has not long ere this been exhausted and