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(iii)
Infectious Disease - The number of infectious disease notifications
received in 1961 was 560, as compared with 136 in 1960, a
difference of 424 which is accounted for by the notification of 439
more cases of measles than in 1960,
Active protection of the child population against diphtheria,
whooping cough, tetanus, smallpox, tuberculosis and poliomyelitis
was continued at a vigorous pace.
Diphtheria - For the fourteenth year in succession no cases of
diphtheria occurred in Kingston. Outbreaks of the disease occurred
in unimmunised children in some areas which only emphasized the importance
of keeping the child population as highly immunised as
possible and particularly for initial protection to be given in
their first year. Parents are therefore constantly encouraged to
take full advantage of the immunisation service provided and intensive
campaigns are carried out to immunise the school and pre-school population
against this disease. This is done under my direction as
Medical Officer of Health as well as Divisional Medical Officer for
North Central Division of Surrey, at the Surrey County Council Clinics
and by General Medical Practitioners,
It is estimated that at the 31st December 1961, 4605 Kingston
children have been immunised during the past 5 years for the first
time or received reinforcing "booster" injections. It is calculated
that during 1961 the proportion of Kingston babies immunised before
they reached the age of 1 year was Every effort is made to
maintain this very satisfactory figure.
Housing and Rehousing - During 1961 the Corporation provided 20
housing units comprising 2 staff house; 11 old people's bungalows,
and 7 single bed-sitting rooms. In addition 16 houses, 24 flats and
10 maisonettes were built by private enterprise, giving a total of
70 new housing units in Kingston during the year.
Future housing policy and needs are at present under review by
the Corporation, It is to be anticipated that the rate of building
will eventually increase to enable the various outstanding categories
of rehousing applications to be dealt with, including special consideration
for the housing of old people.
In February 1961, a White Paper entitled "Housing in England and
Wales" was presented to Parliament, outlining the Government proposals
now contained in the Housing Act, 1961. This White Paper suggests
that fresh impetus and attention should be given by local authorities
to solving the housing and slum clearance problems of big towns and
cities; speed up building for old people; start a drive against overcrowding
and squalid conditions in houses in multi occupation; point