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6
Tuberculosis:
Although a slight rise in the number of new non-pulmonary
cases is noted there has been a substantial drop in the number of
new pulmonary cases of from 53 to 37. The number of deaths also
has decreased from 10 to 4 in the case of respiratory tuberculosis
and no death has occurred from any other form of tuberculosis.
This is fully in accord with the remarkable change for the better
which has taken place in our efforts to tackle this disease.
Atmospheric Pollution:
It seems likely that comprehensive legislative measures will
soon come to our assistance in coping with this tremendous problem.
A further note will be made on this subject later in the report but
it is obvious that a great effort will have to be made not only by
industry who could probably be persuaded that it would in the long
run be economic not to waste fuel and its by-products, but also to
convince the householder that clean air is not only a possible but
an essential aim towards securing which only a concerted effort can
produce, any success. There are, however, many problems of
supply, cost, etc., yet to be solved before the outlook can be either
clear or helpful and this is a matter which must of necessity be
governed more by national possibly than by local considerations.
Food and Drugs:
Again the year has seen a variety of interesting features resulting
from the steady routine work of sampling and complaint investigations
which has been carried on by my staff.
Home Safety:
The Committee noted last year continues to function satisfactorily
and in close liaison with my Department. The frequency of
home accidents makes it very evident that this problem has lost
none of its urgency. It is it is true being accorded a much greater
degree of publicity than previously obtained but even in this connection
much still remains to be done before the public thinks of
'Home Safety' as being of anything like the same order of importance
as 'Road Safety.'
Acknowledgments:
My best thanks are due to my fellow Council officials in other
Departments, and especially to Dr. O'Dwyer, Mr. Randall and
Mr. Blay in my own Department.
I am,
Your obedient servant,
James Gorman, M.B., Ch.B., D.P.H.,
Medical Officer of Health.