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6
The reasons for this are that with a number of
diseases the method of spread of infection is more widely
known and guarded against by the general public. There is
fairly general (though not universal) acceptance of the
need to wash ones hands after going to the lavatory and of
the need for cleanliness in the handling of food, and the
campaign of "Coughs and Sneezes Spread Diseases" has not been
without effect.
Another reason is that modern methods of treatment
are enormously more effective in the cure of some of the
infectious diseases and this not only lessens the importance
and danger of the disease to the patient but also reduces the
period during which he is infectious to others. Some
diseases also, notably scarlet fever, have changed their
character and are not now of such importance.
On the other hand new diseases, some of them of
major importance, are discovered from time to time and the
increasing speed of travel makes it necessary to guard against
diseases which are not endemic in this country but are
common abroad.
In addition it is becoming more fully recognised
that many of the non-infectious diseases, although they
cannot be passed from one person to another, are preventable
to some degree and certain forms of heart disease, diabetes
etc. are being increasingly studied.
The number of elderly people in the community is
increasing and the services required for them must be
expanded. Forecasts have been given of the percentage of
elderly people that there will be in the population in the
future and some of these figures seem quite alarming, but it
must be remembered that only a small proportion of the persons
who have reached the age of retirement are in need of the
services provided by the local authorities and voluntary
bodies. Also, any person who now reaches retiring age must
have been of an age to pay the compulsory 10 years contributions
which would entitle him to a retirement pension,
although there will be a few cases where for one reason or
another he is not so entitled.
Some of the most distressing cases have been amongst
widows of persons of good social and financial position whose
fixed incomes have become quite inadequate because of the