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100
This is the second year that it has been possible to record a fall not
only in the numbers of those on the register but in the numbers for each sex
for both types of disease. The increase which had occurred in the previous
two years had been smaller than those occurring hitherto. All this
suggests that the fall now occurring will continue.
Deaths
Only eight persons (7 male and 1 female) in this district died from
tuberculosis last year, all of the pulmonary type. This is a continuation
of the decline which started a few years ago. Today's figures are a marked
contrast to the 78 deaths which occurred in 1939 and still more to the
97 in 1944. Even as recently as 1949 the figure was 57.
This last year this infection accounted for a death rate per thousand
population of 0 04 and for 0.4 of the total deaths. In 1934 the corresponding
figures were 0.57 and 7.1, and even in 1948 were 0.42 and 4.9.
Sometimes the first intimation that a person has had tuberculosis is
received from a certificate of death. This means that the preventive
services have been handicapped in starting those investigations and precautionary
measures which might lead to the detection of the origin of
the infection in that patient or in the recognition of others who might
have been infected by him. In some instances, particularly when the
diagnosis had only been made as a result of a post-mortem examination,
no one could be held to be at fault. In other cases, the failure to notify
would seem to be the result of an oversight of those whose duty it was to
notify. This most often is a member of a hospital staff. Little can be done
about this by those in such a district as this where there is no hospital
with beds specifically for tuberculosis patients. Fortunately in this last
year there were no such instances.
Preventive Measures
The incidence of the disease and the numbers of deaths from tuberculosis
started to fall long before the special measures making a specific
attack on this disease were started. This fall was part of the general
improvement in the health of the population which was reflected in the
decline in the incidence of many of the infections and in the fall in the
death rate. Better housing conditions, improvement of the conditions at
work, better food have all made their contribution to the improved
healthiness of the population. These factors are still improving, and in
regard to housing the special allocation that the Housing Committee has
made over the years for the rehousing of those families with members
suffering from tuberculosis must have helped and the beneficial effects
must be continuing.
The special attack which was directed on this disease with
inauguration of the tuberculosis dispensaries (today's chest clinics) an
special accommodation is still continued. One of the chief aims of those
at these clinics was to secure the examination of the immediate contacts
of a person found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. This
was with the double object of trying to discover the source of the infection
of the patient, and also to discover in the earliest stages those who might