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Cancer, heart and arterial diseases remain the principal causes of death. Last
year, attention was drawn to the number of women - 13 - who died from lung cancer.
This year the number has fallen to 10, but this is still double that of two years ago, and
is disquieting. Nothing has happened to change the view that heavy cigarette smoking is a
major contributing cause of lung cancer, and the total number of cases - 51 against 45 a
year ago - speaks for itself. This is a disease in which prevention is firmly the responsibility
of the individual (or parent); the local authority can do very little.
The usual day to day work of the Public Health Inspectors continued as usual, and
the statistics are detailed in the report of Mr. Jenkins, the Chief Public Health Inspector.
Constant and careful inspection is the foundation of environmental hygiene, and this
district has been particularly well served in this respect; Mr. Jenkins and all his colleagues
in the department deserve great commendation for their continuing efforts. Public Health
work depends to a considerable extent also on the co-operation of general practitioners and
hospitals; in this district this has been available at all material times in full. Finally, no
department can operate successfully without the full support of its controlling committee
and especially its chairman. This has been forthcoming in full measure, thereby making
the work of the department a pleasure.
I am,
Your obedient Servant,
O. C. DOBSON,
Medical Officer of Health.
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