[Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Cardiff County Borough & Port.

  • Cardiff (Wales). County Borough Council.
Date:
1925
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1925] / Medical Officer of Health, Cardiff County Borough & Port. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/92 (page 7)
    Tuberculosis.—The number of cases coming to the knowledge of the Department in 1925 was 577 (440 pulmonary and 137 non-pulmonary). The corresponding figure last year was 496 (385 pulmonary and 111 non-pulmonary). The number of deaths from this cause was 348 (303 pulmonary and 45 non-pulmonary) as against 345 last year (289 pulmonary and 56 non-pulmonary). The position of Cardiff as regards mortality from tuberculosis in comparison with other great cities in 1925 is shown by the following figures, for which I am again indebted to the Medical Officer of Health of Sheffield :— Town Population Death-rate per Million. Respiratory Tuberculosis All Forms of Tuberculosis 1916 1925 Percentage Reduction 1916 1925 Percentage Reduction Cardiff 227,300 1,475 1,333 9-6 1,974 1,531 22-4 Salford 244,700 1,578 1,324 161 2,087 1,598 23-4 Manchester 758,235 1,843 1,315 28-6 2,325 1,556 33 1 Liverpool ... 842,968 1,812 1,250 310 2,283 1,520 33-4 Leicester ... 242,100 1,499 1,250 16-6 1,820 1,500 17-6 Newcastle-on-Tyne 286,300 1,554 1,198 22-9 2,057 1,551 24-6 Leeds 472,900 1,600 1,081 32-4 2,216 1,267 42-8 Hull 297,300 1,385 1,056 23-8 1,870 1,265 32-4 Nottingham 270,600 1,371 1,020 25-6 1,795 1,197 33-3 Stoke-on-Trent ... 278,900 1,524 986 35-3 2,102 1,316 37-4 Birmingham 952,766 1,313 979 25-4 1,568 1,140 27-3 West Ham 318,500 1,316 970 26-3 1,715 1,174 31-5 Bristol 385,700 1,338 952 28-8 1,638 1,180 28-0 Portsmouth 232,900 1,041 876 159 1,516 1,091 280 Plymouth... 211,078 1,420 848 40-3 1,979 1,056 46-6 Bradford ... 290,200 1,250 813 35-0 1,730 979 43-4 Sheffield ' 526,900 1,366 791 42-1 1,779 988 44-5 The table reveals that Cardiff has climbed to a bad eminence in the last ten years so far as tuberculosis is concerned. From the eighth place in 1916 we have now the unenviable distinction of occupying the highest position as regards mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis. Chart E., facing page 32, which shows the trend of the relative mortality from pulmonary tuberculosis at the age when most deaths occur, illustrates the movement well. In nearly every other important town the tendency of this curve is downward ; in one or two it is stationary ; only in Cardiff is it definitely rising. I have dealt with various aspects of this question in recent Annual Reports. I have not hesitated to express the opinion that, so far as this city is concerned, the existing arrangements for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis are unsatisfactory. The number of beds for advanced cases is inadequate, with the result that patients are left in their homes in the most infective stage. In Denmark 70 per cent, of the deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis occur in institutions, in Cardiff less than one-third. In passing it should be noted that 54 of the 98 institutional deaths in 1925 took place in the City Lodge, evidence of the fact that the Guardians are doing a valuable preventive work which scarcely falls within their province. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the cases admitted to that institution are foreign seamen who constitute a comparatively small danger so far as infection of the child population is concerned, whereas most of the advanced patients who die at home are surrounded there by susceptible children under the most favourable conditions for spreading the disease. While, therefore, the tuberculosis scheme requires much improvement and extension, even more important preventive work is waiting to be done among the child population. Everything which helps the physical development of the child will stimulate his resistance to disease. In this respect, the progressive policy of the Parks Department is a move in the right direction. Open-air schools and open-air teaching require to be developed, and more attention paid to physical culture