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THE COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHALL, 1961
THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR
*Councillor J. Barrett, J.P.
Deputy Mayor:
*Alderman W. H. Hopkins, J.P.
Aldermen:
*Cavell, Mrs. I., J.P. Douglas, H. C. Love, P. J.
*Dane, A. T. *Hopkins, W. H., J.P. Salmon, J.
Councillors:
*Aspell, T. J. A. *Haigh, J., J.P. Southey, P. G.
*Barrett, J., J.P. *Hook, R. E. Steele, T. J.
Barton, A. J. *Jones, Mrs. E. W. Ward, E.
Day, F. R. *†Lamb, W. G. Ward, J. H.,
Errington, F. G. *Rockhill, F. R. J. Williams, Mrs. V. G. I.
Griffiths, Mrs. M. C. *†sheil, E. J. (Chairman) *†Woodruff, J. A. T.
*Members of the Public Health Committee.
†Members 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 71st Annual Report on the health and circumstances
of the population of the Borough of Southall.
The year was an unsatisfactory one in some ways. The general standard of health
of the people was fair, but a rise in the death rate, a rise in the birth rate and a rise in the
infant mortality rate occurred. With regard to the death rate there was a heavy increase
in the deaths from circulatory diseases and cancer. A rise in the birth rate in these days
means that as the proportion of infants born at home is small, the hospital facilities for
maternity are overstrained, and it is noteworthy that twenty-five infant deaths out of a
total of twenty-six occurred in hospital. This demand for hospital confinement which
arose at first from the difficulty of bearing children in overcrowded houses, has now become
socially acceptable for all, and childbirth is now treated as a disease instead of being a part
of normal healthy living, with resultant effects on the mental health and security of interrelationship
of mothers and children.
Apart from an outbreak of measles, infectious disease was not a problem during 1961,
nor were dysentery or food poisoning.
There was only one death from tuberculosis, but the incidence of this disease does
not get less, and the high number of multiple cases suggests that longer periods of hospital
isolation and less dependence on home treatment with drugs may be necessary.
The section of the Report on Welfare while by no means complete gives some idea
of the considerable effort made, and time spent voluntarily, in work in Southall to improve
the conditions of those who are handicapped by disability or age from leading a full life.
Much work was done by the Inspectors during the year on the surveys for Smoke
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