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The remaining causes show no variation which calls for
remark.
Prevention of Infectious Disease.
Some chanere has occurred in the scope of this aspect of
work of the department, particularly with respect to Tuberculosis,
which is now notifiable in all its forms. The County Authorities
have also decided to extend the services of their scheme to noninsured
persons, so that treatment is afforded to all who should
be so unfortunate as to be afflicted with this disease. To prevent
overlapping, it has been decided to appoint the Tuberculosis Officer
allocated to this district Assistant Medical Officer of Health for
Tuberculosis. Speaking generally, those outside circumstances,
such as housing, sanitation, disinfection, etc., will still remain in
the province of the department, but the actual concerns of the
patient himself and his treatment appertain to the Assistant for
Tuberculosa. A word of warning with respect to the whole
scheme might with advantage be given as to the results. As has
been indicated already, the death-rates are of such a nature that
in process of time they are bound to rise, although the actual
duration of life may remain unaltered. The same caution must
be observed in drawing conclusions from the Phthisis death-rate
when we desire to decide in our own minds as to whether this
enormous experimental scheme is having the desired effect.
There were 477 notificat:ons received during the year, compared
with 301 in the previous year.
The details being Scarlct Fever 136 (3.92 per 1,000),
Diphtheria 36 (1.04 per 1,000), Enteric Fever 4, Puerperal
Fever 4, Erysipelas 31, Tuberculosis 244, (7.03 per 1,000),
Ophthalmia 11, Poliomyelitis 9. The distribution of these diseases
during the year was as follows:—