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staff shortages result from the national lack of trained personnel,
others from financial limitations.
The Health of the Borough
The birth and death rates and the illegitimacy rate showed
no notable changes from the previous year.
The infant mortality rate showed a satisfying drop on the
rather high levels of the two previous years.
There were fortunately no serious outbreaks of infectious
disease. Influenza was particularly troublesome in the early part
of the year. Only thirteen deaths were certified as due to influenza,
but it is probable that considerably more were associated
with this infection but certified to bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.
There were no outbreaks of influenza in the residential homes
for the elderly, probably as a result of the immunisation programme
which was undertaken in this high risk group.
The greatest number of deaths were again caused by
disease of the heart and circulation, and cancer of the lung,
which caused approximately half of all deaths from all types of
cancer. These conditions are all associated with the smoking of
cigarettes. Other factors are undoubtedly present, but the cigarette
is by now indisputably identified as the greatest avoidable
killer of our society.
Primary immunisation and vaccination rates again reached
some of the highest levels in the country; a very satisfactory
state of affairs. Much less satisfactory are the lower rates of
acceptance of the booster procedures which need to be undertaken
at the ages of five and fifteen to maintain high protection
levels. The baby's immunity gradually fades away if these repeat
protections are not undertaken.
Measles protection rates received a setback when one
vaccine was withdrawn and by the end of the year not enough
children to stop an epidemic had been immunised.
Personal Health Services
Domiciliary midwifery continues to decline as more
deliveries take place in hospital, but this increase in hospital
confinements is only possible because of the extension of early
discharge home to the care of the community midwife.
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