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63
IV.— TUBERCULOSIS
There was during the year an increase in both the number of notifications and
in the deaths from tuberculosis. The notification rate, namely, 1.70 per thousand
population, was apart from 1933 the highest since 1931. The death rate, namely,
1.05 per thousand population, was equal to the highest since 1929. It is a little
difficult to ascribe reasons for these considerable increases. There must of course be
variations from year to year and in any year in which there is an increase in catarrhal
conditions and respiratory conditions such as influenza, bronchitis, etc., the death
rate from tuberculosis rises and the notification rate also tends to rise. It will be seen
from Table No. 26 on page 40 that there was a large increase last year in the number
of deaths from influenza and there was undoubtedly a large increase in the total
incidence of influenza during the year. This therefore is probably one of the factors
in the rise in the tuberculosis notification rate and the tuberculosis death rate.
Another regrettable feature of the trend of tuberculosis at the present time is
the high incidence of the disease among young adults. During the year 1937 the
number of cases of tuberculosis between the ages of 15 and 25 years which came to the
notice of the medical officer of health was as follows:—males 20, females 10. The
total number of new cases for the year was 110 males and 67 females, so that 27.3 per
cent. of the new cases occurred in persons between the ages of 15 and 25 years.
In the report for 1935 mention was made of the investigation which was being
carried out by Dr. F. Ridehalgh, working at the Royal College of Physicians under
the auspices of the Prophit Trust. During 1937 Dr. Ridehalgh continued to investigate
contacts between the ages of 15 and 25 years. For this work a separate clinic
is held every six weeks, and the investigations include the carrying out of tuberculin
tests and the radiological investigations of the contacts. The cost of the work is
borne by the Prophit Trust.
STATISTICS
The total number of cases on the tuberculosis register on 31st December, 1937,
was 1,456 as compared with 1,476 at the corresponding period of the previous year.
This represents a decrease of 20 cases