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ANNUAL REPORT OP THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH
FOR 1953.
public Health Department
2, Shalston Villas,
Surbiton.
June 1954.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Surbiton.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am presenting my thirty-second Annual Report dealing with
health matters of Surbiton.
As on previous occasions it follows on lines laid down by
the Ministry of Health and the vital statistics are based on
figures given by the Registrar General. It should be recorded
that these figures have come to hand much earlier than on
former occasions; that means that my Annual Report will be to
hand sooner than in previous years.
The population of Surbiton on which the vital statistics
are based is now 62,230, an increase on last year's figure of
640.
In order to arrive at a correct birth and death rate a
comparability figure is given (1.00 for the former and 1.01 for
the latter). This will enable statisticians to compare them
and also with those of England and Wales and the Greater Towns.
During the year there was an increase in the number of
infectious diseases from 856 in 1952 to 1,083 in 1953, mainly
due to an increase in measles which can be seen on page 8.
The Infantile Mortality rate is 21.02 as compared with
18.42 for 1952, but is very much lower than that for England and
Wales and Greater Towns.
The rate of providing houses or units of accommodation for
1953 does not seem to be increased upon. For 1952 the total
number of units of accommodation was 347 and in 1953, 257.
Thirty-seven visits were made regarding overcrowding, or
possible overcrowding.
Pollution of the Hogsmill Stream still occurs and out of
five sam???les and pads three were found to contain paratyphoid B.
bacilli. This does give cause for alarm but work has been
started on the construction of the Sewage Disposal Works.
Suitable ste???s were taken to prevent children paddling or
bathing in the stream.
2.