[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Newton Abbot R.D.C.

  • Newton Abbot (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Newton Abbot R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    evidence that cigarette smoking has a strong connection with other diseases of the respiratory system and also with coronary thrombosis. An investigation into the whole economics of cigarette smoking would, one would think, be well worth while for although there is a tremendous revenue obtained from the sale of cigarettes, there is also a vast amount of waste, both financial and physical, which must more than counteract the benefits to the Exchequer. The year 1967 was a year in which the incidence of measles was relatively high and three hundred and forty-eight cases were reported. Whether or not this is an accurate record of the incidence of the disease is very hard to tell, for it is well known that many Doctors do not send in their Notification Certificates, except in those infectious diseases which are regarded as of serious significance. However, one hopes that when the new measles vaccine becomes more universally used, that measles will, like poliomyelitis, smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, typhoid and tuberculosis, appear only as a rarity. The facts regarding the low occurrence of infectious diseases indicates the success of the campaign undertaken by the Public Health Service Medical Officers and Family Doctors in the prevention of these diseases by means of vaccination and inoculation. There is no fame or glamour in having s^en that thousands of doses of poliomyelitis are given. The results however are far more tangible than those obtained by the sensational procedures in the realms of medicine and surgery of which one reads. I have in my two previous Reports drawn attention to the urgent need for the renewal and improvement in the sewage disposal systems in many of the Parishes. This problem has had very high priority in the Public Health Committees and it can fairly be said that any delays, which have taken place, are not the fault of this Council, rather to the varying economic situation which necessitates a shut-down on all but the most urgent of capital works. It is to be hoped that the Council will take the opportunity of any lull in the standstill when it occurs. The duties of a District Medical Officer of Health are concerned with environmental health and it follows that with the low incidence of infectious diseases that the scope of his duties have decreased. In addition there has, over the years, been a gradual improvement both in the standards and also in 2