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2.
To the MAYOR, ALDERMEN and COUNCILLORS of the METROPOLITAN BOROUGH of SHOREDITCH.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
My annual report for 1955 again follows the 'economy' lines as laid down by the
Minister of Health, and continues since 1948 to be printed in the cheapest way
available, but for the first time since 1934, we have this time produced, on page 32
something other than bare print and tables - without additional expense:- in a
worthy cause. By this means we intend to show that Shoreditch is "not as black as
it is painted", in that the smoke pollution was among the lowest in London even
before the City went "smokeless"-largely cwing to the unremitting attention given
to these matters by several generations of sanitary inspectors. Whilst on the
subject of sanitary inspectors I must add that, though we were understaffed last
year, repeated advertisement has failed to maintain even that number on the staff.
This reduction is only natural, when one remembers that in other areas where the
same-or better-salaries are paid, they can live in the midst of their working
area, instead of spending time and money in travelling to work and feeding away
from home. But this state of affairs can be really tragic in Boroughs such as
this where the new legislation (see pages 28, 29, 31 and 42) must be applied fully,
and the old maintained also, if the Borough's health is to continue.
The vital statistics have remained satisfactory however, and though the
population has decreased by 480 to 45,480, birth and death rates have fractionally
increased, and the number of deaths under 1 year of age has again improved to
19.7 per 1,000 live births (compared with 24.9 for England and Wales, and 23.2 for
London), whilst, for the fourth year in succession, we have had no maternal deaths.
The one tragedy in the year was that, after 5 years without a single case of
diphtheria, we had not merely 3 cases of diphtheria (in one family), but an aotual
death from the disease. The disease was brought from a school in a neighbouring
L.C.C. division by a boy who remained quite well himself, but infected his younger
brothers and sister who had not been immunised. The adults and the immunised
members of the family remained unaffected, and this points the moral in favour of
immunisation. The "Hackney Gazette", and the Council's "Newsletter" spread this
information, and the local immunisation clinics were crowded for one session, but
so short is the public's memory, that everything reverted to routine within one
week: That such a simple and painless procedure which has so much protection to
offer should be so ignored by a civilised community is to me quite unbelievable:
Fortunately, in this case, we were able to limit the outbreak to one family, but
for how long oan we hope to be so successful? (especially as carriers can broadcast
these killing germs without being at all ill themselves).
Tuberculosis accounted for 14 deaths (11 last year), and 13 of these were
over 45, but the most satisfying feature is that the new notifications reaohed
the lowest figure in the history of the Borough (0.92 per 1,000 of the populationthe
next lowest having been last year at 1.05 per 1,000). The deaths from other
diseases varied only fractionally, with the exception of cancer of the breast, and
coronary disease, both of which increased appreciably. There is very little
excuse for the former in these days, because the lump becomes obvious so very
early, and the cure is very reliable in these early stages, not only by operation,
but particularly by X-ray treatment. The prevention of coronary disease is more
difficult, and much research on this subject is in progress. The disease has only
been separated in the returns since 1950, since when the yearly figures in