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6
PART I
CONTROL OF DISEASE
The number of notifications of infectious disease was 819, the lowest
figure ever recorded in the Borough. The reduction was largely due to the
reduced incidence of measles during this year; but most other infectious
diseases also show a reduction.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said of non-infectious diseases such as
cancer and coronary disease. Though we have no accurate information as to
the incidence of the latter, the mortality figures show a slow but steady
increase. Some of this increase is no doubt attributable to improved methods
of diagnosis and to an ageing population, but it appears unlikely that this is
the whole explanation; and that there are unknown factors in our environment
which are bringing about this changing pattern of the incidence of disease.
Tuberculosis
There is now no statutory obligation for the Medical Officer of Health
to keep a tuberculosis register. It is our practice, however, to keep one
and to notify other authorities when known tuberculous persons are moving into
their districts.
The number of cases on the register on 31st December, 1954, was 1710, an
increase of 61 on the previous year. This increase is not due to a higher
incidence of tuberculosis, but due to survival of patients who might have died
but for modern surgical and chemotherapeutic measures. Thus new cases
notified (131) and deaths (25) recorded in 1954 are lower than last year (163
and 26 respectively).
The 131 new cases of tuberculosis notified during 1954 (126 pulmonary and
5 non-pulmonary) corrpared wi th 163 in 1953 (143 pulmonary and 20 non-pulmonary).
The Mass Miniature X-ray unit did not visit the Borough during the year,
but came early in 1955.