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These figures give an Incidence Rate for all forms of 2.59 per 1,000
of the population (1.91 pulmonary and .68 non-pulmonary), and a
Death Rate for all forms of 1.13 per 1,000 (1.00 pulmonary and .12
non-pulmonary).
In several instances (10 pulmonary and 5 non-pulmonary) the
diagnosis of Tuberculosis was not confirmed so that the above rates
should be read at a slightly lower figure.
Further improvement in the figures may be looked for if and
when the unemployment and housing problems are more satisfactory.
Late Notification and Non-Notification.—In the Public
Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1924, which came into force in
January, 1925, it is stated that "in some instances formal notification
of Tuberculosis has not been made until after the death of the
patient has occurred. It is pointed out that in notifying a case of
Tuberculosis the medical attendant is required to certify that the
'person is suffering from Tuberculosis. The Minister of Health is
advised that notification which is made after the notifying practitioner
is aware of the death of the patient is not a notification
duly made under the regulations or one which entitles the practitioner
to the payment of the prescribed fee." Steps were taken
to inform the medical men practising in the district of this new
measure, and although this provision may encourage earlier notification,
it is gratifying to find that each year shows an advance in
this direction. Thus while in 1921 we note that 26 per cent, of the
pulmonary cases were not notified, this year out of 197 notifications
of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, only 9 or 4.6 per cent. were un-notified.
As some explanation of this low figure it may be recalled that
for the past three years the medical men in the Borough have been
asked to notify every case of Tuberculosis they may be called upon
to treat for the first time, unless they have definite evidence that
notification has been already carried out. Further, for the same
period it has been the practice at the dispensary in connection with
cases sent by medical men for diagnosis, for the Tuberculosis Officer
when a diagnosis of Tuberculosis has been arrived at, to request
the medical attendant to notify the case. Should he fail to do so
within a week, the Tuberculosis Officer himself notifies.
Unsatisfactory Notification means of course that many infectious
cases remain uncontrolled by any Public Health measures,
and so attempts to combat the disease remain incomplete. The
following table shows the Death Notification interval of 104 patients
in 1925, and whose deaths were ascribed to Pulmonary Tuberculosis.