View report page

97
This is the first time it has been possible to record a fall in the number
of cases on the register. The reduction was in the numbers of both types
of disease and in each case in each sex. The increase in each of the
previous two years had been very much smaller than in the preceding
year. This suggests that the fall will continue.
Deaths
Twelve persons (11 male and 1 female) died from pulmonary tuberculosis
during the year and two (both male) from non-pulmonary
tuberculosis. The number of deaths from tuberculosis in 1956 was 16.
This infection, then, accounted for a death rate per thousand population
of 0.065 and for 0.7 per cent, of the total deaths. These figures are a
marked contrast to those of 0.57 and 7.1 for 1934 and even of those of
0.42 and 4.9 for 1948.
Preventive Measures
As tuberculosis is a communicable disease, its early recognition is
one of the most important of the preventive measures, as not only is the
sufferer able to take precautionary measures that much earlier, but early
detection followed by treatment might either prevent his reaching an
infective stage or reduce the risk of his becoming that much more infective.
There are different ways in which this can be done, apart from the routine
examination of home contacts at the chest clinics. They include the use
of the mass X-ray unit, the examination of contacts of those recognised
to be suffering from the disease, the examination of young persons who
give positive tuberculin reactions and also of their contacts. Tuberculosis
is now one of a growing group of diseases in which the resistance of the
individual can be raised by inoculation.
Mass X-ray Unit. This unit visits the area about once every three
years. It came in the summer months of 1956. Sessions were arranged
for the examination of the general public and also of organised groups,
these taking place mostly at the places of employment. Twelve of these
premises were visited, at which 7,815 persons were examined. Public
sessions were held at a number of premises. This year, the unit, besides
being at Grant Road school and Victoria Hall, went to a number of
premises in different parts of the district for the first time, with encouraging
results, especially as many of those who attended these sessions would
probably not have attended anywhere before. Of the 8,862 who attended
these public sessions 3,221 were men and 5,641 women. Out of all those
examined, 229 persons were referred to the chest clinics for further
investigation. Out of the 131 who attended, 29 were found to be suffering
from active tuberculosis.
The surveys carried out by the mass X-ray unit are detecting smaller
numbers of cases, and the question is raised as to what now is their most
profitable use. There must come a time when it is relatively unprofitable
to re-examine the same groups of the population, and better returns will
be obtained by more selective use of the apparatus. On this and in
regard to one group, a memorandum of the Ministry of Health to the
Regional Hospital Boards says: " Radiography of school children yielded
so poor a return that it is justifiable only for contacts or those found to