View report page

BOROUGH OF BRENTFORD AND CHISWICK
Public Health Department,
Town Hall, Chiswick, 4.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Borough of Brentford and Chiswick.
Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the 29th Annual Report on the health of the
population and sanitary circumstances of the Borough of Brentford and Chiswick.
The health of the people continued to be good.
There was a slight fall in the death rate, a rise in the birth rate, and
although these figures give satisfaction, it is less pleasing to have to record
a rise in the infant mortality rate following the record low figure achieved in
1955. The rate in Brentford and Chiswick, however, was below the average for
the whole country.
The principal causes of death were again heart disease, diseases of the
circulation, and cancer, the numbers dying from circulatory diseases and cancer
having risen, though the figure for heart disease proper has shown a steady
decline since 19 52.
There were no maternal deaths and no deaths from diphtheria or poliomyelitis,
but the number of deaths resulting from road vehicle accidents increased.
The substantial fall in the number of infectious disease notifications was
mostly due to a low measles incidence, but a reduction in the numbers of notified
cases of poliomyelitis is also to be observed and of the two confirmed cases of
this disease occurring in 1956, one reoovered fully during the year and the other
was making very satisfactory progress by the end of the year.
In June, the Middlesex County Council began to provide sessions for vaccination
against poliomyelitis, but as the supply of vaccine was very limited,
only a small number of children obtained this vaccination during the year.
The only unsatisfactory feature of the infectious disease notifications
figures was the outbreak of puerperal pyrexia, occurring at Chiswick Maternity
Hospital which, because of the difficulty of control, necessitated the closure
of the hospital for a short period in order that the disease might be completely
eliminated.
There was little alteration in the incidence of tuberculosis during the
year, notification figures were increased by one and there was one death fewer
than in the previous year,
A feature of 1956 was that the Sanitary Inspectors were re-designated as
Public Health Inspectors; this seemsavery satisfactory proceeding as it means
that the inspector need no longer be considered as only responsible for the
physical aspect of sanitation, but takes his place as one of a Health Team,
knowledgeable and interested in all matters which are likely to affect the general
health of individuals or of the community.
-7-