[Report 1961] / Medical Officer of Health, Bridgnorth Borough.

  • Bridgnorth (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1961
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1961] / Medical Officer of Health, Bridgnorth Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    College House, Bridgnorth. November 1962. To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of Bridgnorth Corporation. Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my privilege to'present to you my Annual Report for the year ended 31st December 1961 As in previous years the Sections on Sanitary Circumstances, Housing and Pood Inspection have been largely contributed by the Public Health Inspectors. Their assistance in this connection is again gratefully acknowledged. A brief mention of the main points detailed in the pages to follow may be helpful by v/ay of introduction. (1) The most notable of the year's statisticsis probably the population estimate, as supplied by the Registrar - General. This represents an increase of 810 on the corresponding estimate for I960. The other health Statistics are quite satisfactory. The Birth Rate is higher than the average for the country in general; the Infant Mortality Rate is well below the average; the Death Rate is virtually the same as the national average. (2) The town again remained remarkably free from the notifiable infectious diseases, apart from Measles, which was prevalent among the child population during the second and third quarters of the year. (3) A satisfactory solution to the tv/o long-standing problems at the sewage disposal works was finally reached, as a result of experimental improvements to the drainage of the sludge-beds. The sludge now dries out satisfactorily, and the final effluent conforms to accepted standards. (4) The need for additional sewerage facilities to cater for the continuing grov/th of the town, and to serve Danesford and Quatford received much consideration throughout the year. Consulting Engineers were engaged, to prepare a suitable scheme serving Danesford Quatford and Low Town, and the matter was still under discussion at the end of the year. (5) Excellent progress was made with Housing. 60 Council dwellings and 126 private houses were completed, and a further 30 private houses were in course of construction by the end of the year. Further development of the Sydney Cottage Estate towards the Shrewsbury Road was plarjied. The inclusion in this echeme of 10 houses for direct sale to the public represented an innovation in Council policy. Further accommodation for the old people of the town became available v/j.th the completion of alterations to 21, East Cast] e SL'reet. 1 suitable s or a !ond g.'’0Jped d-vvc-/i lings scheme had not been decided on by the end of the year. With the appointment of Mr. A.G. Yfilliams as Additional Public Health Inspector in October 1961, the Council v/as then in a position to discharge its statutory obligations as a Local Sanitary Authority. Prior to that it v/as unable to do so satis- factorily. A start was immediately made on a comprehensive inspection of all the food premises in the tov/n - a duty which had had perforce,