[Report 1932] / Medical Officer of Health, Lancashire County Council.

  • Lancashire (England). County Council.
Date:
1932
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1932] / Medical Officer of Health, Lancashire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/236 (page 10)
    Social conditions, including the chief occupations of the inhabitants, and the influence of any particular occupation on public health: Occupations of County Inhabitants.—The detailed analyses of occupations of the County inhabitants as ascertained at the 1931 Census are not yet available. The numbers of persons engaged in various occupations as enumerated at the 1921 Census were given on page 10 of the 1931 County Health Report. Social Conditions, etc.—There are as yet no exact methods for ascertaining the effects of the economic crisis and widespread depression on the general health of the population in the Adminis¬ trative County, but many medical officers of health in their annual reports comment on this subject, examples of which are given below:— Abram—Those who have been out of work for any considerable time have suffered both mentally and physically. They have become mentally depressed and physically inefficient. This is noted when work is suddenly thrust upon them. Chadderton.—Trade has been very bad for a considerable period, and the standard of living of many families is very low. Colne (B).—The main occupation of the inhabitants of the towns are those connected with the cotton trade, which has been at a very low ebb for some years now, with the consequence that the standard of living has been reduced. Failsworth.—During the year, with the depression in trade, the cotton mills have been on short time, and this has been the cause of a good deal of hardship. Haslingden B.—The humid atmosphere of the cotton mills has an adverse effect on the respiratory system. Padiham.—Regarding the general health of the inhabitants of the community, the Medical Officer of Health points out the large amount of unemployment is having a very serious and devastating effect, and he has come to the conclusion that unemployment always reacts on the health of the community owing to the consequent lack of proper nourishment. The Medical Research Council in December, 1930, published a report (No. 151), giving the results of an inquiry into the diet of a number of families, and in March, 1932, issued a further report (No. 165) after a study of the diets actually used by inhabitants of two other towns. In the first study information was obtained with regard to a comparatively well-to-do population ; in the second the data obtained was in regard to two working-class communities living under divero-ent industrial and environmental conditions. In the summary of conclusions it is stated :— “ Jucfging from the state of the physique of the admittedly limited number of children at our disposal there is no evidence of serious malnutrition in the families studied.” Comments are also made in some reports on the influence of certain occupations on health : Abram.—Miners’ nystagmus is prevalent. Miners also suffer from respiratory affections, rheumatism and gastric disturbances. Brierfield.—The chief occupation is cotton weaving, and this is probably conducive to the prevalence of respiratory troubles. Chadderton.—Bronchitis and asthma are common affections in those who have worked many years in the cardroom. Clayton-le-Moors.—Bronchial and digestive diseases in weaving section. Crompton.—Cotton operatives have a tendency to bronchitis, rheumatism and catarrhal conditions. Ince-in-Makerfield.—Colliers subject to rheumatism, sciatica and bronchitis. Padiham.—Increased susceptibility of weavers to influenza on account of shuttle kissing.