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(iii)
Infectious Disease - The number of infectious disease notifications
received in 1962 was 81, as compared with 560 in 196l, a
difference of 479,, which is accounted for by a decrease in the eases
of measles and puerperal pyrexia throughout the year.
Active protection of the child population against diphtheria,
whooping cough, tetanus smallpox, tuberculosis and poliomyelitis
was continued at a good pace.
Diphtheria - For the fifteenth yeas in succession no cases of
diphtheria occurred in Kingston, Outbreaks of the disease occurred
in unimmunised children in seme 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 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,
Housing and Rehousing - The provision of housing accommodation
has proceeded throughout the year. It is felt necessary to reiterate
that substantial measures must be taken in an endeavour to meet existing
housing requirements as well as those of a possible increased
population.
During 1962, the Corporation provided 11 housing units comprising
7 single and 4 double bed-sitting rooms. Two houses, 94 flats and 1
bungalow were built by private enterprise giving a total of 109 housing
units in Kingston during the year.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government announced a massive
national drive to speed slum clearance;, modernise obsolescent houses
and build many more new houses (Circular No, 42/62), It is desired to
"accelerate the progress of most of the elements of the housing programme
and to keep up the pace until the housing of the entire nation
is decent."
It is again emphasized that there is a need to secure complete
slum clearance, also building for old people and those who are living
in overcrowded squalid conditions though not in unfit houses, and who
cannot rehouse themselves by their own efforts.
An increased provision of suitable Mousing accommodation is a
most important service for old people. As increasing proportion of
local authority housing is of this type, but there is considerable
leeway to be made up. There is no doubt that many of the elderly are
greatly handicapped by remaining in dwellings that are too big for