[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough.

  • Swindon (Wiltshire, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    20 Pulmonary Tuberculosis All Forms of Tuberculosis Case Death Case Death Year Primary rate rate Cases rate rate cases per Deaths per notified per Deaths per notified 1000 1000 1000 1000 popn. popn. popn. popn. 1950 84 1.22 31 .45 106 1.54 32 .46 1951 64 0.93 18 .26 86 1.25 20 .29 1952 49 0.71 13 .19 62 .90 15 .22 1953 101 1.46 14 .20 112 1.62 16 .23 1954 50 0.72 8 .11 68 .97 12 .17 Apart from the above notifications 36 cases of Tuberculosis in Swindon became known to the Health Department through death returns, posthumous notifications, transfers from other areas, etc. Of the deaths which occurred during 1954, 11.76% occurred in non-notified cases. The Mass Radiography Unit was not stationed in Swindon during 1954 and this undoubtedly is the reason for the notification of fewer primary cases. It is expected that the unit will function here next year when it is also planned to commence the B.C.G. vaccination campaign for school leavers. It is to be hoped that as many people as possible will participate in both campaigns for it is only with the co-operation of the public that this infectious disease can be eradicated. Those persons suspicious of their state of health are particularly urged to attend for an x-ray so benefiting themselves by catching the infection in its early and treatable form, and of even greater impor¬ tance, preventing its spread to their workmates, their families or others with whom they are in contact, including those who eat or drink the food they handle. Whooping Cough and Measles. The low incidence of measles as foreshadowed in the 1953 report became a fact and there were no deaths. A large incidence may confidently be predicted for 1955. The whooping cough notifications were but one less than during the previous year and again there were no deaths. This continued lower incidence may well be due to the increasing number of children who are receiving innoculations against whooping cough. Although as yet there has still been no official guidance on the subject, results of investigations during the past years continue to show the real value of this procedure, especially in the case of young children where, if not completely protecting against the disease does modify a serious and perhaps fatal illness into a comparatively mild one.