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Madam Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present my Annual Report for the year 1959.
The mid-year population was estimated by the Registrar General at l64,j500, which was
700 less than the previous year. The cumulative decrease since the post was peak of 19^9
is some 9,400, amounting to about 5.4% during the ten year period.
There were small increases in the birth, death and infant mortality rates, but none
were enough to be significant. The high still-birth rate which gave rise to some concern
last year has now fallen though it has not yet reached its previous low level. For the
first time in several years, there were no maternal deaths.
Local experience of infectious disease largely reflected national trends. This was a
year in which measles was at the peak of its biennial cycle and 2,716 cases were notified:
it says much for modern standards of care that there were no deaths. Dysentery increased
still further and reached a total of 189 cases. Fortunately, it was a relatively mild
form of the disease and again there were no deaths. The cause of this mounting incidence,
which affected most parts of the country, is still obscure. It does not seem to be foodborne
as a rule and there is no evidence of any general decline in standards of hygiene to
account for it. We can only await further research to elucidate the problem-
More agreeably, whooping cough fell to about one tenth of the previous year's level,
while poliomyelitis continued low with two cases and no deaths. Diphtheria remained conspicuously
absent as it has done since the immunisation campaign early in 1957*
The favourable experience in regard to poliomyelitis may be attributed, at least in
part, to the steady build up of the immunisation scheme noted on Page 17. We now have a
real prospect of bringing this distressing disease under effective control.
A notable event during the year was the publication of the Cranbrook Committee Report
on the Maternity Services. As expected, this has proved rather controversial, and it may
take a considerable time before conflicting views can be reconciled sufficiently to permit
of any effective action. Nevertheless, as recorded on Page 78, the Health Committee gave
it some preliminary consideration and came clearly to the conclusion that the establishment
of a local professional Maternity Services Liaison Committee, as recommended in the
Cranbrook Report, would offer the best prospect of constructive progress. They also suggested
a number of subjects which might appropriately receive consideration by such a body.
Even more important in its probable long term effects is the Mental Health Act which
was passed by Parliament during the year. This gives legal expression to a complete
change of attitude towards mental disorder and it shifts the emphasis from hospital to
community care. Although it does not come into operation until the following year, a
great deal of careful preparation has already been made which cannot readily be recorded
in the body of the report.
In the report, however, there will be found accounts of other developments. In
particular, the growth of the Audiology Service is reviewed on Pages 58-67. This was
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