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THE COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHALL, 1957
THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR
*Councillor Mrs. I. Cavell, J.P.
Deputy Mayor:
Councillor J. Haigh
Aldermen:
f*dane, A. T. (Chairman) Gardner, F. E. t*LowE, J.
Douglas, H. C. Hopkins, W. H. *Marks, F. J., J.P.
Councillors:
Barrett, J. Haigh, J. *Lamb, W. G.
*Barton, A. J. f*Jones, Mrs. E. W. Shepherd, A. H.
Cavell, Mrs. I., J.P. *Love, P. J. *Southey, P. G.
*Cripps, C. B. *Rockhill, F. R. J. Steele, T. J.
Day, F. R. Salmon, J. Ward, J. H.
*Griffiths, Mrs. M. C. Shiel, E. J. Woodruff, J. A. T.
*Members of the Public Health Committee.
tMembers of the Area Health Committee (Area No. 9).
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the
Borough of Southall.
MR. MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I have the honour to present the 67th Annual Report on the health and circumstances
of the population of the Borough of Southall.
There was a rise in the birth rate, which has been continuing to increase during the past
three years. The death rate also showed an increase, principally due to the Circulatory
Diseases. On the other hand, deaths from cancer were less by 12% than the number for
1956.
The infant mortality rate also rose. Seventeen infants died during the year, compared
with thirteen in 1956, and of this larger number, nine were prematurely-born infants,
although prematurity was attributed as the cause of death in only five of these. There were
48 premature five births in 1957, as compared with 40 in 1956, and this rising figure is somewhat
alarming. When it is considered how great are the facilities for pre-natal advice,
care and treatment both in the local health authority clinic service, and in the hospitals
themselves, one would like to know if full use is being made of them, or whether some new
factor is increasing the tendency to produce immature infants.
Notifications of new cases of tuberculosis were fewer during 1957, but the number of
deaths from this disease rose from 9 in 1956 to 15 in 1957. Tuberculosis is a curable
disease, and this rise in the death rate means that cases are still coming to light after it is too
late for treatment.
Measles accounted for most of the increase in the notifications of infectious disease.
While measles was still on the whole mild in character, there was one death from this cause
during the year.
Influenza and pneumonia showed a slight increase in the number of deaths recorded.
A wave of influenza reached this country from the East towards the end of the year; while
investigations of particular cases never demonstrated the presence of a virulent type of
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