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TUBERCULOSIS
On 31st December 1953 there were on the register nine hundred
and sixty six cases of Tuberculosls of whom eight hundred and
seventeen were Pulmonary cases and one hundred and forty nine
non-Pulmonary cases. The total death rate from Tuberculosis was
0.17 per thousand of population, compared with 0.24 per thousand
of population in 1958. The death rate for Pulmonary Tuberculosis
was 0.14 and for non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis 0.03 per thousand
of population. The corresponding rates for England and Wales were
Pulmonary Tuberculosis 0.18 and non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis 0.02
per thousand of population.
The number of new cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis was seventy
four compared with seventy in 1952. It is of interest to record
the numbers of notified cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis since
1944, a peak, year of war time infections.
Year; 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953
Cases: 86 71 71 64 50 69 65 74 70 74
The post war decline in notifications proceeded until 1949
when a rise commenced coincident with the introduction of Mass
X - Ray and with the inception of the National Health Service giving
free access of patient to doctor. The suppression of Pulmonary
Tuberculosis will depend on the finding of as many early cases as
possible, on their effective treatment so as to reduce the number
of foci of infection, and on progress in the provision of good
housing to eliminate those social factors which predispose to
infection.
Cases of non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis are either of bovine or
human origin. The danger of bovine infection has been greatly
reduced by the introduction of specified areas where all milk. is
required to be pasteurised or designated as has been the practice
in this Borough for many years.
The Tuberculosis Care Committee gives advice and help on all
social problems related to the disease. Many patients and families
in the Borough have been cared for by the provision of clothing
and extra nourishment, by the payment of fares to enable relatives
to visit Sanatoria, by grants to enable occupational therapy to
be continued at home, and by participating in the County Scheme
for holidays for children. The service given is highly confidential
and cannot be fully publicised, but deserves recognition and
support. The work of the members of this voluntary Committee is
greatly appreciated. The Hon. Secretary is County Alderman Mrs.
Margaret Walkden, J.P., 9, All Saints Road, Sutton.
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