[Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Newcastle-under-Lyme (Union) R.D.C.

  • Newcastle-under-Lyme (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Newcastle-under-Lyme (Union) R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    30/36 (page 28)
    Incidence Rates and Death Rates of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the District During the Last Ten Years. Year Incidence Rate of Pulmonary Cases (Numbers of New Cases per 1,000 Population) v Death Rate of Pulmonary Cases (Deaths per 1,000 Population) 1938 0*93 0*50 1939 0*92 0*42 1940 1*07 0*36 1941 0*51 0*30 1942 0*24 0*18 1943 0*80 0-37 1944 0*62 0*19 1945 0*75 0*31 1946 0*62 0*25 1947 0*60 0*48 Averages 0*71 0*34 It may be seen from Table 18 that, while the incidence rate of pulmonary cases in 1947 was approximately equal to that for 1946, the death rate was nearly doubled. Much as the increase in this latter rate is to be regretted, it should be realised that the numbers concerned are small, and that an increase of four deaths in any one year does not necessarily mean a marked deterioration in the general position. The subjects of incidence and death-rate were referred to in some detail on page 31 of my Annual Report for 1945. Table 18 shows that the average incidence-rate of the pulmonary form of the disease during the period 1943-47 was 0-28 lower than that for the period 1938-42; and that the corresponding death rate during the period 1943-47 was 0-16 lower than that for the period 1938-42. Recent research has shown that we may be approaching the threshold of improvements in connection with both prevention and treatment, of the disease, but among other adverse factors the continued shortage of sanatorium accommodation constitutes a most serious handicap. During the year much attention continued to be given to the subject of the improvement of housing conditions for cases of 00 X.O