WlM U y >. * Public Health Department ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH for the YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER, 1953 Printed by Raynes Park Prtsi, Lambton Road, London, S.W.20. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH 1953 Public Health Department, Town Hall, Wimbledon, S.W.19. August, 1954. To The Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Borough of Wimbledon. Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the work of the Public Health Department for the year 1953. This report is compiled in accordance with the instructions contained in Circular 1/54 of the Ministry of Health. From the statistics it will be seen that the live birth rate for the Borough in 1953 was 12.17 per thousand of the population compared with a rate of 15.5 for England and Wales. The death rate for Wimbledon during the period was 10.05 compared with a rate of 11.4 for England and Wales. There was one maternal death in the Borough. The infantile mortality rate for 1953 in Wimbledon was the second lowest on record. Twelve Wimbledon children under the age of one year died during the year, giving an infantile mortality rate of 16.24 per thousand live births compared with the rate of 26.8 for England and Wales. 1 The increased number of infectious diseases was attributable to the prevalence of measles in the early part of the year. For the fourth year in succession there were no cases of diphtheria in Wimbledon. Eleven cases of poliomyelitis were notified, seven of them being associated with paralysis. The only death from infectious diseases during the year occurred in one of these cases. It is a pleasure to draw attention once again to the unstinted help and loyal co-operation which I have received from all members of the staff. In September Mrs. Dymott resigned from her position as Chief Clerk and I should like to pay tribute to the excellent manner in which she has carried out her duties since her appointment in November, 1946. Mr. H. Berrington was appointed to succeed her and took up his duties on 1st October, 1953. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing to the Chairman and Members of the Health Committee my appreciation of the consideration and courtesy which they have again shown me during the year. I am much indebted to my colleagues in other Departments for their ready help on all occasions. I have the honour to be. Your obedient Servant, HAROLD ELLIS, Medical Officer of Health. 2 LIST OF CONTENTS. Page Introduction 1-2 Health Committee Members and Health Sub-Committee Members 4 List of Staff 5 SECTION A: STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS: Statistics, etc. 6-8 Births 8 Deaths Registered 8-9 Infantile Mortality 10-11 Summary of Statistics 12 SECTION B: GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES: Nursing Homes 13 National Assistance Act, 1948 14 Mass Radiography 14-15 Clean Food Advisory Committee 15 Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Act, 1952 15 SECTION C: SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES: Water Supply 16 Sanitary Inspectors' Visits 16-17 Notices Served 17 Nuisances abated and defects remedied 17-18 Factories Act, 1937, Part I. 19 Outworkers 20 Bakehouses 20 SECTION D: HOUSING 21-22 SECTION E: INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD: Milk 23 Ice cream 23 Meat and other Foods 23-25 Sampling of Food and Drugs 25-26 Prevention of Damage by Pests 26-27 SECTION F : PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES: Diphtheria Immunisation 29 Notifiable Infectious Diseases, etc 30-31 Tuberculosis 32-33 3 BOROUGH OF WIMBLEDON HEALTH COMMITTEE December, 1953 Councillor T. H. Metcalf, (Chairman). Councillor S. Black, O.B.E., J.P., (Mayor). Councillor H. Lee, (Vice-Chairman). Alderman C. W. Black, J.P., M.P. Alderman Miss D. Carver. Councillor A. E. Ayres. Councillor J. E. V. Campbell. Councillor W. J. M. Fisher, B.Sc. Councillor Miss D. M. Lord. Councillor A. Styles. Councilor C. P. Wilmot. NORTH-EASTERN DIVISIONAL HEALTH SUB-COMMITTEE WIMBLEDON REPRESENTATIVES December, 1953 Councillor N. S. Clarke. Councillor Miss D. M. Lord. Councillor T. H. Metcalf. Councillor J. M. Ockleshaw.. Councillor A. Styles. 4 STAFF Medical Officer of Health: Harold Ellis, M.B., B.S.(Lond-), M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H. Senior Sanitary Inspector: D. F. S. Flynn, (b), (c). Deputy Senior Sanitary Inspector: H. R. Fry, (a), (c). Sanitary Inspectors: P. W. Smith, (a), (c). P. W. Jolly, (a), (c). R. I. W. Owen, (a), (c), (Resigned 30/6/53). F. W. Goldsmith, (a)2(c), (Appointed 1/9/53). Assistant Rodent Officer: F. J. Reddington. Chief Clerk". f Mrs. V. Dymott, (Resigned 15/8/53). t Mr. H. Berrington, (Appointed 1/10/53). Clerks: * J. E. Field. * Mrs. V. Waters. † Mrs. S. G. Meech. F. R. Brackfield. Miss P. Martin (Temporary Appointment). (Transferred to Town Clerk's Dept. 15/6/53.) P. B. Stannett (Appointed 15/6/53). t Transferred to Surrey County Council under National Health Service Act, 1946. Part-time officer to the Wimbledon Borough Council. * Officer of the Wimbledon Borough Council. In part-time employment of the Surrey County Council. (a) Certificate Royal Sanitary Institute and Sanitary Inspectors Examination Joint Board. (b) Certificate Royal Sanitary Institute for Inspector of Nuisances. (c) Certificate Royal Sanitary Institute for Inspector of Meat and other Foods. 5 SECTION A. — STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA. Area (in acres—Census, 1951) 3,212 Population (Census, 1951) 58,158 Home Population (mid-1953) 58,300 Number of occupied dwellings:— 1921 (Census) 11,926 1931 (Census) 13,325 1951 (Census) 16,047 Number of private households:— 1921 (Census) 13,998 1931 (Census) 15,883 1951 (Census) 19,185 Rateable Value:— £835,376. Sum represented by penny rate:— £3,373. Extracts from Vital Statistics of the Year 1953. (Registrar-General's Figures.) Live Births Total M. F. Legitimate 705 353 352 Illegitimate 34 20 14 Total 739 373 366 Total M. F. Stillbirths Legitimate 14 5 9 Illegitimate 1 — 1 Total 15 5 10 Live birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated home population 12.68 Corrected live birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated home population 12.17 Still-birth Rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births 19.89 Total M. F. Deaths 732 365 367 Crude Death Rate per 1,000 of the estimated home population 12.56 Corrected Death Rate per 1,000 of the estimated home population 10.05 Deaths from puerperal causes— Rate per 1,000 total (live and Deaths. still) births. Puerperal and post-abortive sepsis 1 1.33 Other maternal causes Total 1 1.33 Death Rate of infants under one year of age:— All infants per 1,000 live births 16.24 Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births 17.02 Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births— Deaths from cancer 115 diphtheria poliomyelitis 1 measles — whooping cough — 6 Birth Rates, Death Rates, Analysis of Mortality, Maternal Mortality, and Case Rates for certain Infectious Diseases in the Year 1953 (Provisional Figures based on Quarterly Returns). Wimbledon England and Wales 160 C.B.s and Great Towns including London 160 Smaller towns (resident population 25,000 - 50,000 at 1951 Census) London Administrative County Births:— Rates per 1,000 Home Population Live Births 12.17 15.5 17.0 15.7 17.5 Still Births 0.26 0.35 0.43 0.34 0.38 19.89 † 22.4† 24.8† 21.4† 21.0† Deaths:— All Causes 10.05 11.4 12.2 11.3 12.5 Typhoid and Paratyphoid — 0.00 0.00 — — Whooping Cough — 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 Diphtheria — 0.00 0.00 0.00 — Tuberculosis 0.29 0.20 0.24 0.19 0.24 Influenza 0.43 0.16 0.15 0.17 0.15 Smallpox — 0.00 0.00 0.00 — Acute Poliomyelitis ing Polioencephalitis) 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 Pneumonia 0.50 0.55 0.59 0.52 0.64 Notifications (corrected): — Typhoid Fever —. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 Paratyphoid Fever 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 Meningococcal Infection 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.03 0.03 Scarlet Fever 1.65 1.39 1.50 1.44 1.02 Whooping Cough 3.14 3.58 3.72 3.38 3.30 Diphtheria – 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 Erysipelas 0.05 0.14 0.14 0.13 0.12 Smallpox – 0.00 0.00 0.00 – Measles 15.37 12.36 11.27 12.32 8.09 Pneumonia 0.50 0.84 0.92 0.76 0.73 Acute Poliomyelitis (including Polioencephalitis)— Paralytic ... 0.12 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.07 Non-paralytic 0.07 0.04 0.03 0.04 0.03 Food Poisoning 0.10 0.24 0.25 0.24 0.38 Puerperal Pyrexia 29.18† 18.23† 24.33† 12.46† 28.61† Rates per 1,000 Live Births Deaths:— All causes under 1 year of age 16.24* 26.8* 30.8 24.3 24.8 Diarrhoea and Enteritis (under 2 years of age) 1.35 1.1 1.3 0.9 1.1 † Per 1,000 total (live and still) births. * Per 1,000 related live births. 7 Maternal Mortality in England and Wales. Cause No. of deaths Rates per 1,000 total (live and still) births Rates per million women aged 15-44 Sepsis of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 68 0.10 Abortion with toxaemia 7 0.01 1 Other toxaemias of pregnancy and the puerperium 166 0.24 Haemorrhage of pregnancy and childbirth 90 0.13 Abortion without mention of sepsis or toxaemia 30 0.04 3 Abortion with sepsis 39 0.06 4 Other complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 125 0.18 During 1953 there was one maternal death in Wimbledon, giving a maternal death rate of 1.33 per thousand live and still births. This death occurred as a result of a septic abortion. BIRTHS. The statistics supplied by the Registrar-General show that during 1953 the total number of registered live births belonging to Wimbledon was 739. In addition, 15 stillbirths were registered. This gives a birth-rate of 12.68 per thousand of the population compared with a rate of 12.55 per thousand for the previous year. A comparability factor has been supplied by the RegistrarGeneral which enables the birth-rate for Wimbledon to be compared with that for England and Wales. The corrected birth-rate for Wimbledon for 1953 is 12.17 per thousand of the population, whilst the rate for England and Wales is 15.5. DEATHS. The total number of Wimbledon residents who died during 1953 was 732, giving a death-rate of 12.56 per thousand of the population as compared with 12.96 per thousand for 1952. The corrected deathrate for 1953 is 10.05 per thousand as compared with a rate of 11.4 per thousand for England and Wales. The number of Wimbledon residents who died outside the Borough was 243, whilst 249 persons not normally resident in Wimbledon died in institutions, etc., in the Borough. 8 The four principal causes of death were as follows:— Percentage of total deaths Diseases of the heart and circulatory system 35% Vascular lesions of nervous system 15% Cancer 16% Diseases of the respiratory system 15% Total 81% The following is an analysis of the causes of death :— Cause Males Females Total 1. Respiratory tuberculosis 10 6 16 2. Other tuberculosis l — 1 3. Syphilitic disease 4 1 5 4. Diphtheria — — — 5. Whooping cough — — — 6. Meningococcal infections — — — 7. Acute poliomyelitis — 1 1 8. Measles — — — 9. Other infective and parasitic diseases — — — 10. Malignant neoplasm, stomach 9 7 16 11. Malignant neoplasm, lung, bronchus 17 9 26 12. Malignant neoplasm, breast — 11 11 13. Malignant neoplasm, uterus — 5 5 14. Other malignant and lymphatic neoplasms 26 28 54 15. Leukaemia, aleukaemia 1 2 3 16. Diabetes — 4 4 17. Vascular lesions of nervous system 36 73 109 18. Coronary disease, angina 67 40 107 19. Hypertension with heart disease 6 9 15 20. Other heart disease 40 59 99 21. Other circulatory disease 14 21 35 22. Influenza 9 16 25 23. Pneumonia 14 15 29 24. Bronchitis 41 8 49 25. Other diseases of respiratory system 5 2 7 26. Ulcer of stomach and duodenum 8 5 13 27. Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea 2 2 4 28. Nephritis and nephrosis 5 4 9 29. Hyperplasia of prostate 3 — 3 30. Pregnancy, childbirth, abortion — 1 1 31. Congenital malformations 3 2 5 32. Other defined and ill-defined diseases 34 27 61 33. Motor vehicle accidents 1 1 34. All other accidents 3 6 9 35. Suicide 6 3 9 36. Homicide and operations of war — — — Totals 365 367 732 9 INFANTILE MORTALITY. During 1953 there were 12 deaths in infants under one year of age, giving an infantile mortality rate for Wimbledon of 16.24 per thousand live births, as compared with a rate of 26.8 for England and Wales. 9 of the 12 deaths occurred during the first four weeks of life, giving a neo-natal death-rate of 12.18 per thousand live births. The following table shows the causes of and ages at death. Cause of death Under 1 week 1-2 weeks 2-3 weeks 3-4 weeks Total under 4 weeks 1-3 months 3-6 months 6-9 months 9-12 months Total Deaths under 1 year Congenital defect or birth injury 3 — — — 3 1 — 4 Prematurity 5 — — — 5 — — — — 5 Pneumonia — 1 — — 1 — — — — 1 Gastro-Enteritis — — — — — — 1 — — 1 Accidental Death — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Total 8 1 — — 9 1 1 1 — 12 10 Infantile Mortality during the last 10 years. Cause of death 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 Prematurity 6 4 6 6 8 5 5 3 3 5 Congenital defects or birth injuries 6 8 12 10 5 12 2 9 6 4 Diseases of the newborn 1 – 1 2 Gastro-enteritis 5 3 1 – – 1 2 — — 1 Pneumonia 5 6 2 2 1 1 — 1 1 1 Bronchitis — — — — — –—– — — — — Whooping cough 1 – – – – – – – – Meningococcal 1 Meningitis 1 T.B. Meningitis — — — — — — — Pneumococcal Meningitis 1 1 —- Septicaemia — — — — — — 1 — —■ Encephalomyelitis — Pyelonephritis Asphyxia (unknown cause) Accidental death — — 2 1 3 2 1 1 — 1 Inattention at birth 1 – – – – – – – – – Infanticide 1 1 – – – – – — Other causes — 6 26 29 24 20 18 22 14 17 10 12 Total neo-natal deaths included above 15 17 17 13 14 14 8 14 6 9 11 Summary of Statistics. The following table shows the birth-rates and death-rates for Wimbledon as compared with England and Wales since 1939. Year Live-Birth Rate (per thousand home population) Still-birtli Rate (per thousand home population) Death-Rate (per thousand home population) Maternal Mortality Rate (per thousand total (live and still) births) Infantile Mortality Rate (per thousand live births) Wim. E.& W. Wim. E.& W. Wim. E.& W. Wim. E.& W. Wim. E.&W. 1939 10.86 15.0 0.37 0.59 10.53 12.1 1.57 2.82 29.41 50 1940 12.20 14.6 0.42 0.55 13.92* 14.3 1.67 2.16 43.40 55 1941 12.82 14.2 0.29 0.51 11.92* 12.9 — 2.23 41.15 59 1942 15.46 15.8 0.47 0.54 12.44* 11.6 — 2.01 41.95 49 1543 17.69 16.5 0.27 0.51 14.37* 12.1 1.18 2.29 50.17 49 1944 15.62 17.6 0.53 0.50 13.21* 11.6 2.76 1.93 37.14 46 1945 17.01 16.1 0.42 0.46 13.38* 11.4 2.42 1.79 36.20 46 1946 18.90 19.1 0.64 0.53 13.51* 11.5 — 1.43 23.14 43 1947 19.39 20.5 0.42 0.50 13.64* 12.0 0.88 1.17 18.03 41 1948 16.33 17.9 0.26 0.42 11.56* 10.8 1.04 1.02 19.03 34 1949 14.99 16.7 0.39 0.39 10.72 11.7 — 0.98 25.14 32 1950 12.46 15.8 0.24 0.37 10.37 11.6 — 0.86 18.13 29.8 1951 13.26 15.5 0.24 0.36 10.93 12.5 — 0.79 20.41 29.6 1952 11.67 15.3 0.29 0.35 10.63 11.3 — 0.72 13.60 27.6 1953 12.17 15.5 0.26 0.35 10.05 11.4 1.33 0.76 16.24 26.8 * From 1940 to 1948 the local death-rate could not be corrected as the publication of an area comparability factor was suspended. Consequently it is not strictly possible to compare the death-rate for Wimbledon with that for England and Wales for those years. SECTION B. - GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936, PART IV. — NURSING HOMES. The Wimbledon Borough Council is responsible for the registration and supervision of nursing homes in the Borough. No additional homes were registered during the year. One existing home closed down and another was transferred to Kingston-on-Thames. Two were exempted on an annual basis, from registration under Section 192 of the Public Health Act, 1936. The position at the end of 1953 was as follows:'— Number of homes on the register:— Maternity Nil Others 5 Number of beds provided 65 Number of visits of inspection to registered and exempted homes during the year 6 13 NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948. Under Section 47 of this Act, power is given to the Councils of County Boroughs and County Districts to apply to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction for an Order for removal and detention, in a suitable hospital or other place, of persons who (a) are suffering from grave chronic disease, or, being aged, infirm or physically incapacitated, are living in insanitary conditions; and (b) are unable to devote to themselves, and are not receiving from other persons, proper care and attention. It was not found necessary for the Council to make application to the Court for any such Orders during the year. The Mass Radiography Unit of the Regional Hospital Board made two visits to the Wimbledon area during 1953 in February and again in March. As in previous years facilities were offered to all persons over the age of 15 years for X-ray examination of the chest. I am indebted to the Secretary of the Mass Radiography Unit for the following details of persons who attended for examination. As the facilities were available to all, and were used by persons coming from a wide area, the statistics do not necessarily relate to Wimbledon residents only. Number of persons examined: MASS RADIOGRAPHY. Males Females 2,495 2,515 5,010 A bnormalities discovered: (i) Active pulmonary tuberculosis : Males Females 3 2 5 (ii) Inactive pulmonary tuberculosis: Males Females 91 85 176 14 (iii) Non-tuberculous conditions : 142 (iv) Awaiting final diagnosis: Males 37 Females 22 59 CLEAN FOOD ADVISORY COMMITTEE. No meetings of the Clean Food Advisory Committee were held during 1953. HEATING APPLIANCES (FIREGUARDS) ACT 1952. This Act, which prohibits the sale or letting of certain heating appliances without an effective fireguard, came into force on 1st October, 1953. The Wimbledon Borough Council had previously authorised the Sanitary Inspectors to carry out the duties imposed under the Act. Males Females 15 SECTION C. — SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA. Water Supply. The Metropolitan Water Board is responsible for the supply of water to the Borough and regular periodical examinations are made by that Authority. With three exceptions all the dwelling houses in Wimbledon are supplied from public water mains direct to the houses. During the year 1953 samples of water were taken for logical examination, as follows:— Wimbledon Corporation Swimming Baths 18 Private residence in Somerset Road, S.W.19 2 Beverley Meads Allotments 2 21 of the these 22 samples were reported as being satisfactory. Two samples from the house in Somerset Road, which were taken as a result of a complaint by the occupier, were bacteriologically satisfactory. Two samples were taken from Beverley Meads Allotments at the request of the Allotments Committee. One sample taken from the supply pipe from the well was satisfactory; the other sample taken from the supply cistern from the well proved to be unfit for drinking purposes. These results were reported to the Allotments Committee, who took appropriate action. Sanitary Inspection of District. The following is a summary of the visits made during 1953:— Reason for Visit. No. Infectious Diseases, investigations, etc. ... 684 Inspections under Housing Act, 1936, Part IV 92 House to House Inspections (Section 91. Public Health Act, 1936): — (a) number of houses inspected 155 (b) number of revisits 143 House Inspections and Reinspections ... ... 7,826 Factories, Workplaces and Outworkers premises 459 Dairies and Milkshops ... ... 52 Food Inspection ... 480 Food Premises 762 Sampling — Food & Drugs Act, 1938 92 Milk (Bacteriological) ... 39 Milk (Biological) ... ... 4 Water 12 Shops Act 1950 439 16 Petroleum (Regulation) Acts 1923 and 1936 81 Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 6,041 Pet Animals Act 1951 11 Diseases of Animals Acts 36 Smoke Observations 161 Miscellaneous Inspections (including visits to Caravans, Piggeries, Stables, Hairdressers premises, Watercourses, Swimming Baths and Massage Establishments) ... 753 Total 18,322 Notices Served. Preliminary notices or intimations ... 1,787 Statutory Notices 360 Result of Service of Notices. (a) Legal proceedings. As a result of non-compliance with abatement notices legal proceedings were instituted in two cases. Nuisance orders were made in both cases. The total costs awarded were £3. 13s. 6d. Legal proceedings were also instituted in two further cases, the first being against an occupier failing to pay for a dustbin supplied by the Corporation in default. The Court made an order for the account to be paid, together with £2. 8s. 6d. costs. In the second case, legal proceedings were instituted against an owner to recover the cost of work carried out in default of a nuisance order. The Court made an order for the expenses to be paid, amounting to £63. 19s. 7d. (b) Work carried out in default. Eight dustbins were supplied by the Corporation in default of the owners or occupiers. Works necessary to abate nuisances were carried out in two cases where nuisance orders made by the Court were not complied with. Work was carried out in one other case where the owner failed to comply with an abatement notice served upon him by the Corporation. Nuisances abated and defects remedied. The following is a summary of nuisances abated and defects remedied under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors:— Drains, new, provided 2 Drains, altered or repaired 67 Drains, unstopped and cleansed 55 Fresh air inlets, provided or repaired 20 Gullies, new, provided 9 Gullies, curbs, provided or repaired 9 Gutters, renewed or repaired 109 17 Inspection chambers, new, provided 11 Inspection chambers, altered or repaired 20 Rainwater pipes, new provided 2 Rainwater pipes, repaired or cleared Rainwater pipes, disconnected 7 Soil pipes and vents, new provided 2 Soil pipes and vents, repaired 20 Waste pipes, new, provided 2 Waste pipes, repaired, cleansed or trapped W.C. accommodation, provided or improved ... 3 W.C. accommodation, ventilated space provided 3 W.C. accommodation, apartments cleansed and/or repaired 1 W.C. pans, new, provided 24 W.C.s unstopped, cleansed or repaired 34 Flushing cisterns, new, provided 1 Flushing cisterns, repaired or regulated 49 Sinks and/or lavatory basins provided 25 Urinals provided 1 Urinals, cleansed or repaired 4 Accumulations removed 26 Animal nuisances abated 7 Dustbins provided 177 Manure receptacles provided 1 Brickwork, repaired or repointed 50 Dampness remedied 230 Roofs, renewed or repaired 211 Yard paving, repaired 16 Floors, renewed or repaired 120 Sub-floor ventilation provided 6 Fireplaces or ranges, renewed or repaired 87 Rooms, walls and ceilings, cleansed 135 Rooms, verminous, cleansed 7 Rooms, plasterwork repaired 348 Staircases, handrails provided 6 Staircases, repaired 2 Service water pipes, repaired 11 Water supply reinstated 2 Water storage cisterns repaired and/or cleansed 15 Windows, repaired 138 Windows, sills, renewed or repaired 41 Windows, sashcords renewed 142 Food Rooms, cleansed 55 Smoke nuisances abated 3 Miscellaneous nuisances abated 288 Rooms disinfected 269 Work executed by the Borough Surveyor and rechargeable under Section 24 of the Public Health Act, 1936. Fifteen public sewers vested in the Local Authority by Section 20 of the Public Health Act, 1936, were cleansed and maintenance works carried out. 18 19 FACTORIES ACT, 1937. PART I. 1. Inspections for Purposes of Provisions as to Health. Premises Number on Register Number of Inspections Written Notices Prosecutions Factories without mechanical power 110 66 5 - Factories with mechanical power 211 302 14 - Other premises under the Act (including works of building and engineering construction but not including outworkers' premises) 6 28 - - Totals 327 396 19 - 2. Defects Found. Particulars Number of Defects Prosecutions Found Remedied Referred to H.M. Inspector Referred by H.M. Inspector Want of Cleanliness (S.l) 3 2 - 2 - Overcrowding (S.2) — — — — — Unreasonable temperature (S.3) 1 1 - 1 — Inadequate v e n t i 1 a tion (S.4) — — — — — Ineffective drainage of floors (S.6) — — — — — Sanitary Conveniences (S.7):— Insufficient 1 2 — - - Unsuitable or Defective 21 23 — 8 — Not Separate for Sexes 5 1 — 1 — Other Offences (Excluding offences relating to outwork). — 3 — — - Totals 31 32 - 12 - 20 PART VIII. OUTWORK - SECTIONS 110 & 111. Nature of work Section 110 Section 111 No. of outworkers in Auggust list required by Sec. 110 (1) (c) No. of cases of default in sending lists to the Council No. of prosecutions for failure to supply lists No. of instances of work in unwhole some premises Notices served Prosecutions Wearing Apparel Making etc. 32 — — — — — Others — — — — — — Total 32 — — — — — Number of addresses received from other Councils 48 Number of addresses forwarded to other Councils 50 Number of premises where outwork was carried on at the end of 1952 112 Inspections of outworkers' premises 63 Outwork in infected premises (Section 153 Public Health Act, 1936) Nil OTHER MATTERS. Failure to affix Abstracts of Act notified to H.M. Inspector of Factories Nil Underground bakehouses in use at the end of the year 1 21 SECTION D. - HOUSING. (a) Housing Statistics for the year 1953. 1. Inspection of Dwelling-houses during the year:— 1(a) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 1,900 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 8,124 2(a) Number of dwelling-houses (included under sub-head (1) above which were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations 1925 and 1932 Nil (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose Nil 3 Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation Nil 4 Number of dwelling-houses exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-head found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 842 2. Remedy of defects during the year without service of formal notices:— Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their officers 576 3. Action under Statutory Powers during the year:— A. Proceedings under Sections 9, 10 and 16 of the Housing Act, 1936:— (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs Nil (2) Number of dwelling-houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices:— (a) By owners Nil (b) By Local Authority in default of owners Nil B. Proceedings under Public Health Acts:— (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied 355 (2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices:— (a) By owners 248 (b) By Local Authority in default of owners 3 C. Proceedings under Sections 11 and 13 of the Housing Act, 1936:— (1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made Nil (2) Number of dwelling-houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders Nil 22 D. Proceedings under Section 12 of the Housing Act, 1936:— (1) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were made Nil (2) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were determined, the tenement or room having been rendered fit Nil 4. Housing Act, 1936, Part IV — Overcrowding. The following table shows the position in Wimbledon at the end of 1953 with regard to overcrowding. (a) (i) Number of dwellings known to the Department to be overcrowded at the end of the year 64 (ii) Number of families dwelling therein 74 (iii) Number of persons dwelling therein 379 (b) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported during the year 13 (c) (i) Number of cases of overcrowding known to have been relieved during the year 12 (ii) Number of persons concerned in such cases 56 (d) Particulars of any cases in which dwelling-houses have again become overcrowded after the Local Authority have taken steps for the abatement of overcrowding Nil Rehousing. I am indebted to the Housing Manager for the following information regarding rehousing in Wimbledon. These figures relate to the position at 31st December, 1953:— Number of houses requisitioned since the beginning of the war and still held under requisition 444 Number of prefabricated bungalows provided since the end of the war 71 Number of families rehoused by the Council or by private owners at the Council's instigation since the beginning of the war 1,956 Number of live applications on the housing waiting list 1,663 New houses erected, etc. I am indebted to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor for the following information:— Number of new houses and flats erected in Wimbledon in 1953: Private enterprise 18 Local authority 112 Number of flats created by conversion in 1953: Private enterprise 35 Local authority Nil In addition 18 flats of a temporary character were created by adaptation. 23 SECTION E. — INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD. Milk. Under the Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations 1949 and 1950, and the Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations 1949 and 1950, the following licences were granted to retailers by the Council:— Pasteurisers' Licences Nil Dealers' Licences— Tuberculin Tested Milk 17 Pasteurised Milk 20 Sterilised Milk 24 Supplementary Licences— Tuberculin Tested Milk 9 Pasteurised Milk 10 Sterilised Milk 7 87 The number of Dairies registered under the Milk & Dairies Regulations 1949 was 6. During the year 53 samples of designated milk were sent for bacteriological examination. The results were as follows:— Designation Satisfactory. isfactory. Pasteurised 45 1 Tuberculin Tested (Pasteurised) 3 — Tuberculin Tested (Farm bottled) 5 — Sterilised - — Four samples of Tuberculin Tested (farm bottled) milk were sent to various Laboratories for animal inoculation. All four samples were found to be negative for tubercle bacilli. Meat and Other Foods. The following inspections of food premises etc. were made by the Sanitary Inspectors during 1953:— Inspections of dairies 52 Inspections of food premises 664 Inspections of premises where ice-cream is factured or sold 98 Visits to obtain samples of food and drugs 92 Visits to obtain samples of designated milk 43 Visits for the purpose of food inspection 480 24 The systematic inspection of food shops and other premises where food is prepared continued during the year, but the number of such premises in the area is not yet available. The number of food premises registered under Section 14 of the Food & Drugs Act, 1938 is as follows:— Premises registered for the sale of ice-cream 100 Premises registered for the manufacture and sale of ice-cream 3 Premises registered for the preparation or manufacture of sausages 43 Premises registered for the preparation or manufacture of potted, pressed, pickled or preserved food 19 Unsound Food. The following is a list of the unsound food surrendered during the year:— Baby foods 6 tins Bacon 838½ ilbs. Bacon 1 tin Biscuits 10 packets Blancmange powders 4 packets Bovril 5 jars Cereals 33 packets Cheese 45 cartons Cheese ½ lb. Chocolate powder 1 tin Chocolate cup cakes 6 Chocolate marshmallow 1¼ lbs. Cocoa powder 4 packets Coconut essence 1 bottle Coffee essence 3 bottles Coffee (ground) 1 tin Cooked minced meat 32 lbs. Cream (sterilised) 3 tins Desiccated coconut 3 packets Figs 1 packet Fish (fresh) 23 stone Fish 164 tins Fish paste 2 jars Flour 16 bags Fruit 15 jars Fruit 1,510 tins Fruit pies 6 Gravy powder 2 tins Ham 77½ lbs. Ham 16 tins Junket powder 2 packets Malt 50 tins Margarine ½ lb. Marmite 4 bottles Meat (fresh) 1,584½ lbs. 25 Meat 328 tins Orange squash 4 bottles Ox heads 1,632 lbs. Ox liver 15 lbs. Peanut butter 1 jar Pickles 15 jars Preserves 100 jars Preserves 126 tins Puddings 30 tins Puddings (Christmas) 11 Raspberry dessert 1 packet Rennet 1 bottle Salad cream 5 jars Sauce 10 bottles Sausages 14 tins Sausages (Pork) 16 lbs. Soup powders 2 cartons Soups 110 tins Suet 7 packets Sweets (confectionery) 26 lbs. Swiss rolls 3 lbs. Vegetables 7 jars Vegetables 501 tins Welsh rarebit 2 packets Where practicable, condemned food was disposed of for animal feeding. The remainder was incinerated at the Corporation's Refuse Works. Legal Proceedings. One prosecution was taken under the provisions of the Food & Drugs Act, 1938, Section 3, for the sale of a loaf in which was embedded a beetle. The defendant pleaded guilty and was fined £5, and costs amounting to £3. 10s. Od. were awarded against him. Food & Drugs Act, 1938. The following samples were purchased during 1953 and were submitted to the Public Analyst, with the results shown:— Articles Total Formal Informal Genuine NonGenuine Aspirin tablets 1 - 1 1 - Beef steak pudding 1 - 1 1 - Beef suet 1 - 1 1 - Blood purifier 1 - 1 1 - Butter drops 1 - 1 - 1 Buttered almond crunch 1 - 1 1 - Buttered flavoured ovals 2 - 2 2 - Butter flavoured almonds 1 - 1 1 - Butter flavoured dairy sweets 1 - 1 1 - Butler flavoured sweets 1 — 1 1 - Buttermint flavoured sweets 1 — 1 1 - Buttermints 1 — 1 — 1 Butterscotch 2 - 2 2 - 26 Articles Total Formal Informal Genuine Non. Genuine Butterscotch bons bons 1 - 1 1 — Butterscotch sweets 2 - 2 1 1 Buttersnips 1 - 1 - 1 Camphorated oil 1 - 1 1 - Castor oil 1 - 1 1 - Chewing gum 1 - 1 1 - Chop sauce 1 - 1 1 - Cocoa 1 - 1 1 - Coconut 1 - 1 1 - Coffee 3 - 3 3 - Cough syrup 1 - 1 — 1 Cream 1 - 1 1 - Dessicated coconut 1 - 1 1 - Epsom salts 1 - 1 1 - Essence of rennet 1 - 1 1 - Gelatine 1 - 1 1 - Honey 1 - 1 1 - Horseradish sauce 1 - 1 1 - Jam 1 - 1 1 - Lard 1 - 1 1 - Lemon essence 1 - 1 1 - Linseed compound 1 - 1 1 - Malt vinegar 1 - 1 1 - Milk 46 12 34 45 1 (informal) Mustard sauce 1 — 1 1 — Orange food colour 1 - 1 1 - Orange fruit cup 1 - 1 1 - Orange juice 1 - 1 1 - Pearl barley 1 - 1 1 - Pepper (white) 1 - 1 1 - Rice 2 - 2 2 - Salmon spread 1 — 1 1 - Sandwich spread 1 — 1 1 - Sausages (Beef) 2 1 1 2 - Sausages (Liver) 5 - 5 5 - Sausage meat (Pork) 1 - 1 1 - Sausages (Pork) 14 1 13 13 1 (informal) Savoy snack 1 — 1 1 - Semolina 1 — 1 1 - Sparkling drinks 1 — 1 1 - Table jelly crystals 1 - 1 1 - Tapioca 1 - 1 1 - Tapioca dessert 1 - 1 1 - Tonic tablets 1 - 1 1 - Totals 126 14 112 119 7 (informal) PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY PESTS ACT, 1949. The table on the following page is a tabulated statement indicating the action taken during 1953. The inspection and treatment of sewers, and of the Corporation's Depots, etc., is undertaken by the Borough Surveyor's Department, and details are not included in the figures given. The Corporation continues to undertake the routine disinfestation of schools and school canteens owned by the County Council within the Borough, as and when necessary, on a contract basis. 27 Type of Property Number of Properties inspected as a result of: Number of Properties found to be infested by: Treatment carried out by Department Notices under Section 4 Number of Inspections made Notification Otherwise Total Rats Mice Rats Mice T reatment Proofing Local Authority 2 23 25 3 1 3 1 Nil Nil 6041 Dwelling Houses 261 362 623 116 64 79 19 Nil Nil Business Premises 43 257 300 35 47 33 35 Nil Nil Agricultural 1 2 3 1 — 1 — Nil Nil Totals 307 644 951 155 102 116 55 Nil Nil 6041 28 SECTION F.— PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES. Notifications of Infectious Disease. During the year there were 1,267 cases of infectious disease notified, as compared with 649 cases during 1952. Poliomyelitis. Eleven cases of poliomyelitis occurred during the year. Seven of these were paralytic cases and four were non-paralytic. There was one death. In addition seven other patients were admitted to hospital as suspected cases. In these the diagnosis of poliomyelitis was not confirmed. Paratyphoid fever. One case of paratyphoid fever was notified. Food Poisoning. The following table gives details of food poisoning cases during the year. (a) Total number of outbreaks 1 (b) Total number of single cases 3 (c) Total number of cases 6 (d) Total number of deaths — (e) Organisms responsible— In the outbreak affecting three patients and in a single case the organism responsible was salmonella typhimurium. The organisms responsible in the other two cases were not identified. (/) Foods involved— unknown. The outbreak affected three patients from one family. One of these was a person whose occupation was concerned with food handling. A notice was served on him under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 1953, prohibiting him from carrying out his employment whilst a carrier of a salmonella organism. Compensation was paid for loss of earnings by the Council. Shortly afterwards he was found to have become free from infection and then resumed his occupation. Dysentery. There were nineteen cases of Sonne dysentery notified during the year. 29 Cerebro-Spinal Fever. A boy aged six years was admitted to hospital with this disease during 1953. This was a meningococcal infection from which the patient recovered. Diphtheria. It is gratifying to report that in 1953 no case of diphtheria occurred in the Borough. Two patients suspected to be suffering from diphtheria were admitted to hospital. On investigation both were found to be suffering from tonsillitis. Immunisation against Diphtheria. The authority responsible for immunisation in this area is the Surrey County Council. The following table shows the number of children in Wimbledon under the age of 15 years who have been immunised against diphtheria. Age at 31/12/53 No. immunised Under 1 year 10 1-4 years 2,075 Total under 5 years 2,085 5-9 years 3,599 10-14 years 2,619 Total 5-14 years 6,218 30 Notifiable diseases during 1953. DISEASE Number of Cases Notified in Various Age Groups Total Cases Notified Total Cases removed to Hospital Total Deaths Under 1 1-2 3-4 5-9 10-14 15-24 25-44 45-64 65 and over Scarlet Fever — 2 17 65 8 1 3 - - 96 23 - Measles 13 189 233 423 18 10 10 - - 896 3 - Whooping Cough 13 33 60 70 6 — - 1 - 183 1 - Acute Poliomyelitis (Paralytic) — — 1 1 2 — 3 - - 7 7 1 „ „ (Non-paralytic) — — 1 1 — 1 1 - - 4 3 - Meningococcal Infection — - — 1 - - - - - 1 1 - Puerperal Pyrexia — — - — — 12 10 - - 22 †21 - Dysentery — - 1 9 4 - 3 - - 19 - - Paratyphoid Fever — - — — — - 1 - - 1 1 - Erysipelas — — — - — - 1 2 - 3 - - Pneumonia (Acute Primary or Influenzal) 1 2 - 1 1 1 5 7 11 29 - *29 Food Poisoning — — 1 1 — — 3 1 — 6 — — TOTALS 27 228 314 572 39 25 40 11 11 1267 60 30 * All Forms. These 21 patients were already in hospital. 31 Notifications of Infectious Disease during the last 10 years. DISEASE 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 Diphtheria 24 8 7 4 4 6 — — — - Dysentery 89 18 4 2 — 2 7 53 36 19 Encephalitis Lethargica, acute — — — 1 — - — — — Enteric Fever (including Paratyphoid) — — — 1 — 3 — 1 1 Erysipelas 11 11 12 5 2 7 1 5 3 3 Food Poisoning 1 — — 5 2 - 4 — 6 Malaria 1 1 7 — — - - 1 — — Measles 57 586 339 253 481 707 364 758 337 896 Meningococcal Infection 3 6 5 5 3 2 3 2 1 1 Ophthalmia Neonatorum 9 10 8 4 2 2 1 - — — Pneumonia 25 27 26 32 15 19 20 27 24 29 Poliomyelitis 1 4 2 25 4 10 12 4 2 11 Puerperal Pyrexia 6 8 10 3 5 8 1 2 5 22 Scarlet Fever 77 46 37 51 95 55 68 136 128 96 Whooping-cough 117 54 114 157 231 149 181 166 112 183 420 780 571 541 849 969 668 1,158 649 1,267 Tuberculosis:— Pulmonary 66 76 84 87 87 96 102 93 84 104 Non-Pulmonary 10 16 12 8 6 10 13 6 5 2 TUBERCULOSIS. During the year 106 cases of tuberculosis were added to the Register compared with 89 in 1952. Of these 69 were new cases and 37 were transfers from other areas. An analysis of the notifications received is given overleaf. The following cases were removed from the Register:— Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary. M. F. M. F. Deaths from tuberculosis 11 5 1 - Deaths of patients suffering from tuberculosis through other causes 1 1 - - Recovered cases 5 3 - 1 Removals from district 26 35 2 1 43 44 3 2 Early in the year a member of the staff at a Girls' School in Wimbledon was found to be suffering from tuberculosis. A Mantoux skin test was carried out on all the scholars whose parents gave their consent, and arrangements were made for the positive reactors to undergo a mass x-ray examination of the chest through the Mass Radiography Unit. 83 girls attended for x-ray. The results of these investigations indicated that none of the scholars had been infected in the school. 33 TUBERCULOSIS 1953. AGE GROUPS CASES ADDED TO THE REGISTER Primary Notifications (Form A) Cases Discovered otherwise than by Notification Total Cases added to the Register DEATHS Pulmonary NonPulmonary Pulmonary NonPulmonary Pulmonary NonPulmonary Pulmonary NonPulmonary Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Under 1 Year - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 — 4 Years — 2 - - - - - - - 2 - - - - 1 - 5—9 — 2 - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - 10—14 4 — - - - 1 - - 4 1 - - - - - - 15 — 19 3 1 - - 1 2 - - 4 3 - - - - - - 20 — 24 4 6 - - 4 6 - - 8 12 - - - - - - 25 — 29 4 5 - - 4 2 - - 8 7 - - - - - - 30 — 34 6 6 - 1 2 3 - - 8 9 - 1 - 1 - - 35 — 44 5 4 - - 4 3 - - 9 7 - - 1 — - - 45 — 54 4 1 - - 1 1 - 1 5 2 - 1 3 — — — 55 — 64 4 - - - 1 1 - - 5 1 - - 4 1 - - 65 and Over 2 2 - — 2 1 — - 4 3 - — 2 4 - - 36 29 - 1 19 20 - 1 55 49 - 2 10 6 1 - 65 1 39 1 104 2 16 1 66 40 106 17 1 1 1 1 1