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7
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER
OF HEALTH
Health, Welfare, and Children's Department,
Hanover House,
Lyon Road,
Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2EH.
To His Worship the Mayor Aldermen and Councillors of the London
Borough of Harrow.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my annual report on the health and
sanitary conditions of the district and on the health, welfare and children's
services provided by the Borough for the year 1970.
Consideration of the vital statistics for 1970 show the normal
variations seen from year to year. There was a population decrease of
1,640 to a figure of 206,060 and a birth and death rate of 14.5 and 10.3
per 1,000 population respectively, these being approximately the same as
for 1969. There was an increase in the infant mortality rate from 12.0 to
14.0 per 1,000 live births, which compares with a figure of 18.0 for England
and Wales. The majority of infant deaths as usual occurred in the early
neo-natal period and were due in the main to congenital defects and
prematurity. There were no maternal deaths and in general local statistics
compare favourably with the national rates.
In the case of infectious diseases, the incidence of measles during the
year was fairly high. This fact is of interest because of the high incidence
occurring in what would normally have been a "fallow" year for the
disease. Obviously variations in the epidemiology of the disease must be
related to the vaccinations carried out in 1968 and 1969. Difficulties with
vaccine supplies in 1969 caused some interruption in the immunisation
programmes and this may have resulted in the higher incidence in the
disease during 1970. However, every effort is made to achieve and maintain
a high acceptance of vaccination against measles of all susceptible
children up to and including the age of 15 years.
In general, there was very little else of note in the infectious diseases
during the year but, on the other hand, a very important event occurred in
relation to a non-notifiable infectious disease, namely, the start of a
vaccination programme against Rubella (German Measles). This mild
illness of childhood can have serious effects if contracted by a woman in the
early stages of pregnancy and can result in damage to the foetus. Vaccination
was offered to all girls between their 11th and 14th birthdays with
initial priority to those in their 14th year and this procedure will now
become part of the routine immunisation programme.