[Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, Ilkley U.D.C.

  • Ilkley (England). Urban District Council. nb2008024124.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, Ilkley U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    borehole which it was hoped would solve the problems of water shortage has proved a complete failure. Proposals for the improvement of sewage works in the district have received consideration but have not yet approached finality. The sewerage extensions to Burley Woodhead and Viewlands, Menston, are still held up. Refuse disposal has been very fully treated in the report of the Chief Sanitary Inspector. It is pleasing to record that housing accommodation for 205 families was provided in the district during the year. The Council’s contribution of 162 new council houses is more than the total of new council houses built in the previous seven years. This increase of housing accommodation has enabled the council to provide for all the worst cases on the waiting list and the housing situation is altogether easier than it was a year ago. SECTION IV INFECTIOUS DISEASES The number of notifications during 1953 rose to 285 from the very low figure of 84 in the previous year. This was due to a rise in the number of notifications of measles, scarlet fever and whooping cough. Measles There was a small epidemic in the spring particularly in April, but it soon subsided owing to the small number of non-immune children. Scarlet Fever Sporadic cases of a very mild form of this disease occurred throughout the year. In many cases the disease was so trivial that it was unnecessary to send the child to hospital. Whooping Cough Notifications of this disease rose from 52 to 89 ; mostly in the early months of the year. It is disappointing that inoculation against this disease has not been pushed more enthusiastically by doctors in the district. There is little doubt that the incidence of this disease could be greatly reduced by this means. Poliomyelitis Only two cases of this disease were reported, one a very slight case with no residual paralysis and one a more severe case who is still undergoing rehabilitation in an orthopaedic hospital. Intestinal Diseases The case of Typhoid fever was that of a school girl who acquired the infection while on a visit to France. No cases of Food Poisoning nor Sonne Dysentery were reported, although it would be difficult to believe that some cases of these diseases did not occur. Diphtheria It is again for the sixth time possible to record that the Ilkley district was free from diphtheria. Freedom from this disease depends upon the people of the district. If mothers will have their children protected by immunisation, there is no reason why the disease should reappear. But immunisation figures in 1953 were the lowest since the war and this tendency must be reversed if the district is to remain safe.