View report page

21
Tuberculosis.
The rates per thousand population for new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis for
the last five years have been—
1947—2·18; 1948—2·34; 1949—2·39; 1950—2·07 ; 1951—1·87.
Although there were unfortunately 441 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis
added during the year, there is some satisfaction in the fact that the notification
rate for new cases has decreased for the second year in succession since 1949, whereas
prior to this there had been continual increases. It may appear contradictory,
however, that the total number of cases of tuberculosis on the Register has increased
to 2,404 from the corresponding figure of 2,368 for last year. The explanation would
appear to be that tuberculosis patients, owing to modern methods of treatment, now
have a better expectation of life than previously, as shown by the more spectacular
fall in the pulmonary tuberculosis death rate. Therefore, even though the rate for
new cases is now falling slightly, the total number of persons suffering from tuberculosis
may continue to increase. The importance of this point is that unless the greatest
personal precautions are taken, and care exercised by the patients themselves,
there may be a temporarily increased possibility of spread through the greater
number of patients with positive sputa. There is, therefore, no room for complacency
in dealing with this problem.
It will be noted from the table of new cases below that out of a total of 220
new cases of tuberculosis of the lungs in women, no less than 146 were between the
ages of 15 and 35. This is particularly tragic since this is the period of life when the
young woman is either earning her living or looking after a home, possibly with young
children. New cases among males were more evenly distributed, but the greatest
number in any ten-year period was 56 between the ages of 25 and 35.
It is gratifying that the proposal of the North-west Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board, reported in the Annual Report for 1950, to establish a Static Mass
Radiography Unit for the Borough almost reached fruition during the year and was
actually opened to the public in the early part of 1952. Apart from the value of such
a Unit to persons who may be found to be suffering from tuberculosis at an early
stage, and the greatly improved prospects of ultimate cure through early detection—
there will also be the additional value that such persons who may unknowingly be
the means of infecting others will, by accepting early treatment, automatically
diminish the possibility of the infection being passed on to others.