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As there has been no case of confirmed diphtheria in this
District for the last 4 years, there is inevitably some tendancy
to disregard the very definite risk of its return if the degree of
immunity among the child population is permitted to decrease.
While it is quite reasonable to arrange for the less urgent reinforcing
doses to be given during the period of the year when poliomyelitis
is least prevalent, to omit this simple preventive treatment
is very unwise and quite unjustified.
In general, the conclusion that the health of the District
during 1950 compared not unfavourably with that of previous
years, is justified, but a consideration of this Report will indicate
many ways in which improvements can be effected. There are,
for example, still far too many preventable deaths from the forms
of cancer which are observable at an early stage. Concerted
efforts can greatly reduce the deaths and incapacity from tuberculosis
and accidents. Colds, influenza, and gastro-enteritis of
the food poisoning variety cause far too much loss of working
time.
While further research is needed and is being undertaken
into the cause and prevention of some of the diseases which
are most influential in ending life or crippling people prematurely,
e.g. cancer and rheumatism, enough is already known about the
comparatively simple preventive measures which can be taken
to postpone or avert death or incapacity from many diseases, and
thus effect very extensive improvements in our standard of
health. Regard might well be paid also to probable causes of
illhealth even when the true causes have not yet been scientifically
proved, e.g. excessive smoking is suspected of having an
influence on the increasing incidence of cancer of the lung, while
it may share with the equally bad habits of taking hurried and
irregular meals, and not relaxing adequately whenever practicable,
in the causation of ulcers of the stomach and intestines, and
premature heart and circulatory disease.
If, finally, it is remembered that health is a positive state and
not the mere absence of disease, it will be more fully appreciated
that ultimately the responsibility for the health of the community
rests upon the co-operation of each individual member.
At a time when our economic and international position
impels a very careful review of the health and other social
services, it is opportune to emphasize the extent to which our
health depends upon our own efforts. Prevention, which frequently
depends on our own efforts, is not only better, but far
less costly in all ways than cure. Many of our present day
problems depend finally on our recognition of the truth in the
statement that "The final decision as to what the future of society
shall be depends not on how near its organisation is to be
perfection, but on the degree of worthiness of its individual
members."
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