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There were 9 cases of suicide. Two deaths were caused by road
traffic accidents and 16 by accidents in the home. 4 of the home
accidents concerned children under one year and the majority of the
remainder aged people.
Home Accidents
The prevention of accidents in the home has now become one of
the most pressing problems for the Health Department. Every effort
is being made to educate parents, and those who are concerned with
the care of the elderly, regarding common household hazards and
how they can be avoided. With this end in view the Council decided
during the year to publish an illustrated booklet which is issued
through child welfare centres and old peoples' clubs. It is also distributed
by Health Visitors and District Nurses.
Infectious Disease.
The incidence of infectious disease was low. Early in the year a
case of diphtheria occurred in a child aged 7. This boy had not
been immunised and contracted the disease as a result of contact
outside the Borough. Complete recovery took place and there was
no further spread. At the end of the year there was one case of
poliomyelitis in an infant aged 5 months. The disease was nonparalytic
and recovery was uneventful. The cause of the infection
could not be determined.
During the Autumn a case of paratyphoid fever in an adult was
notified. The exact cause of the infection was not ascertained but
was considered to be associated with an incidence of the disease
in the Greater London area due to the importation of dried egg
product.
In the early summer an outbreak of dysentery, mainly affecting
children, occurred in the Woodford Bridge area when there were
approximately 200 cases. The disease was mild and of short duration.
Most cases were not treated by their doctors and, as a result, were
never notified. Strict precautionary measures were instituted at the
schools concerned and. by the end of term, the disease had abated.
At the time this type of dysentery was very prevalent throughout the
country and many outbreaks were reported.
There was little change in the incidence of tuberculosis, 32 new
cases being notified (36 in 1955). There were 7 deaths (4 in 1955).
National Health Service Act: Part III Services.
Details of those services administered by the Essex County
Council through the Forest Area Health Sub-Committee are given in
Section G.
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