[Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Swinton & Pendlebury Borough.

  • Swinton and Pendlebury (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1969
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1969] / Medical Officer of Health, Swinton & Pendlebury Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH for the Year 1969 Public Health Department, Town Hall, Swinton, M27 2AD. Telephone : 061 - 794 2251. TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS OF THE BOROUGH OF SWINTON AND PENDLEBURY Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present to you my thirteenth annual report. In my report last year I drew attention to the increasing proportion in the population of the Borough of those in the upper age groups, and estimated that by 1981 persons aged 65 and over would constitute at least 15% of the total population. This trend is further illustrated by examination of the age groupings of deaths down the years: Table IV shows that an increasing proportion of all deaths is represented by the deaths of persons of 65 years of age and above : such deaths represented 65.4% of all deaths during the period 1965-1969 compared with 64.2%, 62.8%, 61.2% and 55.0% in each of the preceding 5-year periods since the end of World War II. It is pleasing to record that since writing my last annual report the Sumbland flats and neigh¬ bouring blocks in Clifton have been wired up to form a scheme of grouped dwellings for aged tenants with warden-supervision. The 50 units of supervised accommodation thus provided is a welcome addition to the 30 units provided at Moorfield Close in 1961 and the 30 units provided at Richmond House in 1962, but a much higher provision than 110 units could well be made for a population of 40,640 which includes a high proportion of aged persons. One major outbreak of Salmonella virchow food poisoning in the early part of the year contri¬ buted 43 to the total of 182 cases of food poisoning notified during 1969. Since this outbreak followed a hospital staff dance — which had been held in a neighbouring district — the greatest care had to be taken lest the infection should have been introduced into the hospital or transmitted to child patients rendered vulnerable by the conditions for which they had been admitted. The co-operation of the Salford Hospital Management Committee and of the staff of the hospital left nothing to be desired, even though considerable inconvenience and interruption of normal working were occasioned by keeping members of staff off duty until they were free from infection. I would not wish to conclude this introductory letter without making reference to the late Alderman John Bradley who died on 7th January, 1970. Not only was he Mayor of the Borough in the year of its Incorporation, but he was Chairman of the Public Health Committee from then until 1938 and then for a further period between 1946 and 1950. Throughout his public life his support for public health measures, for the development of education and welfare services and for the application of preventive medicine demonstrated his belief in the motto of the Borough “ Salus Populi Suprema Lex.” My thanks are due to Mr. Menarry and to the staff of the Department for their loyal service, to the Town Clerk and Officers of other Departments for helpful advice and ready co-operation, and to you for the support and confidence you have given throughout the year. I am, Ladies and Gentlemen, Yours obediently, WILLIS J. ELWOOD, August, 1970. Medical Officer of Health.