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8
and emphysema, which are two of the most crippling diseases known
to afflict mankind. Abnormal conditions of the heart and circulatory
system also make a great contribution to ill-health and death, and here
one feels that greater attention to suitable diet and a sufficiency of
exercise are important factors in preventing vascular disorders.
Reference has already been made to lung cancer and its prevention,
but it must be remembered that most other cases of cancer are
curable if treatment is undertaken at an early enough stage and it
therefore behoves us to do all in our power to persuade people to seek
advice at the earliest signs of any abnormality.
Although a large number of cases of measles was notified during
the year, it was a period during which we were free from all the more
serious infections. The continued absence of both diphtheria and
anterior poliomyelitis in our district was a matter for congratulation,
but our freedom in this direction will only be kept up if a high degree
of immunity is maintained in the population. Tuberculosis continues
its trend to attack the older age-groups, and the four deaths attributed
to this disease were all in persons middle-aged or over. During the
course of the year, over 7,000 people took advantage of the Mass X-Ray
service, and although the number of cases of tuberculosis thus discovered
was small, yet the importance of such discoveries to both
patient and contacts cannot be over-estimated if this disease is to be
finally defeated.
A glance at the vital statistics will show that there is not a lot of
deviation from the figures of the previous year, though there is a
small drop in the birth rate which is below that for the country as a
whole. There is also a small reduction in the infant mortality rate
which represents a lessening of four in the number of infants dying.
There was no maternal mortality, and the death rate showed little or
no variation compared with 1962.
The time has now come to pay tribute to all who have helped the
department during the past years. There are many doctors in Hospitals
and General Practice included under this heading, and to all I should
like to say a most sincere ''thank you". When it comes to the staff
of the Public Health Department, there is little that I can add to my
previously expressed appreciation. Mr. Crowe has again been the
mainstay of the department, and I should like to thank him, the
Inspectors, Miss Cooper and the clerical staff, for their unfailing
reliability. My deputy, Dr. Kelynack has as usual earned my warmest