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85
were known and these had no connection with the outbreak referred to
In other years only occasional cases have occurred and these in most
instances have not been referred to the department.
Tuberculosis
In the last ten years tuberculosis in the country generally has
been assuming a much less serious threat to life. This is shewn by
the death rate which was 62 per 100,000 in 1945, about 36 in 1950 and
18 in 1954. The disease has also changed its character and been much
less rapid and severe in its course and no longer kills so many young
girls and women who not so long ago were its principal victims On
the other hand the toll taken by it has been little reduced if not
actually increased in older men. It still remains a major preventable
disease.
Unfortunately in Finsbury the position is not too happy in that
the death rate has not fallen so rapidly and is now much higher than
average. Thus the rate for Finsbury in 1955 was 42 as against 18 for
England & Wales (1954). And from the table given under Deaths in
Section "A" it is seen that there were 81 deaths in Finsbury during
the period 1951-1955 as against an expected number on the national
average for 1954 of 31.
On the other hand the deaths as elsewhere have occurred among
older persons, particularly men, Of the 81 deaths referred to
only 5 were of those under 25, 14 aged 25-44, 38 aged 45/64, and 24
over 65: nearly all deaths over 45 were of men.
Although the death rate has fallen strikingly in the country the
notification rate has not fallen to keep pace with it This may be
due to better diagnostic facilities which have led to the discovery of
cases which previously might not have been recognized and also to the
notification of such mild cases that previously would not have been
dealt with in this way These factors have acted to an extent that
little significance should be attached to the rate either in Finsbury
or elsewhere. Many deaths continue, however, to be registered of
cases who had not previously been notified. In Finsbury, however,
thanks I believe to good co-operation with hospital and general practitioners,
only 3 such cases occurred in 1955 In these cases the
disease ran a very acute course and was not diagnosed until revealed
by postmortem examination There was no evidence as to whether it
could have been diagnosed earlier
Altogether we cannot be too satisfied with the progress of tuberculosis
in Finsbury and the position must be watched with vigilance
The total number of new cases entered in the register during the
year was 74.