View report page

* One case notified from a Poor Law Institution —no information as to result
of treatment.
There were no cases of small-pox, cholera, plague, typhus,
trench fever, relapsing fever, glanders, rabies, or continued fever
reported during 1924.
Tuberculosis.
The total number of notifications of new cases received
under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1912,
excluding duplicates, was 559, as compared with 657 received
in 1923.
The deaths numbered 311, as compared with 305 for the
year 1923.
The number of deaths of non-notified cases of tuberculosis
was 69.
Last year the proportion of non-notified tuberculosis deaths
was 1 in 4; this year there is a slight improvement, but the
fact that in many instances the knowledge of the existence of
tuberculosis is not brought to light until after the death of the
patient is prima facie evidence of the failure to notify on the part
of the medical attendant. This neglect may not be culpable, but
it is proof that the existing system of notification needs tightening if a complete record of the extent of tuberculosis existing in
a given area is to be ascertained.
Experience has also proved that in other respects the
requirements of the Tuberculosis Regulations are not fully
observed. The Ministry of Health, in Circular No. 549, which
was issued in the latter part of the year, directs attention to
these matters, and impresses upon Local Authorities the responsibility which attaches to them for seeing that the Regulations
are observed.
With a view, therefore, of securing a greater measure of
uniformity in the procedure of notification, the Ministry require
that from January 1st, 1925, certain administrative changes are
to operate in order to ensure a stricter compliance with the
requirements of the Regulations.
A report of the year's work by the Tuberculosis Medical
Officer, Dr. W. Brand, will be found on pages 25-38.