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continuing and was seven per cent, in the last year. Amongst the age
group 20-24, the death rate in 1954 was only one-sixth of that in 1938;
the reduction in those of middle ages was two-thirds. Whereas just before
the war the new cases were 92 per 100,000 and after the war rose to 103,
by 1955 the rate was only 71, the lowest national rate recorded. There is,
however, still some way to go before it can be claimed that the disease
is really on the run. Seven hundred new cases are being discovered each
week and the disease is causing the deaths of nearly 100 persons every
week. The number of cases on the tuberculosis register is increasing by
11,000 each year. In addition to the 300,000 recognised cases, it is thought
there are some 75,000 undetected cases. Of this total of 375,000 persons,
45,000 are sputum-positive, and are therefore a danger to others.
Notification

Primary notifications relate to persons who had not previously been
notified as suffering from the disease and who presumably contracted their
infection while living here. It is this figure which is sent to the Registrargeneral.
The other intimations relate to people who had been notified
in other districts before coming to live here. The combined figure is the
number of cases new to the district. In 1957 it was 214, compared
with 264 in 1956 and 287 in 1955. The number of primary notifications
was 141; the number in 1956 was 160 and in 1955 183. The fall in these
sets of figures shows that the district is taking part in the improvement in
the situation seen in the country as a whole.
Although in general the primary notifications are accepted as relating
to persons who have contracted their infection while living here in that
they have not been notified elsewhere, in fact some relate to persons who
probably were already suffering when they moved into the district even
though the case had not been recognised. This is presumed to be the