[Report 1906] / Medical Officer of Health, Rushden U.D.C.

  • Rushden (Northamptonshire, England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1906] / Medical Officer of Health, Rushden U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Remarks. The infant mortality has been slightly in excess of last year. The principal cause of the large infant mortality is improper feeding. In the early part of this year a number of cards were circulated, containing rules for the proper feeding of infants, yet the infant mortality has increased. It has been generally supposed that cow’s milk contains numerous microbes and that it ought to be sterilized before use. Only a few days ago, a deputation, including some of the heads of the profession, waited upon the President of the Local Government Board, and protested against the sterilization of milk, and stated that it was injurious and caused rickets and other diseases. The deaths from Phthisis have been three times that of last year. Some Medical Officers of Health are advocating the notification of that disease, while others, Jike myself, do not agree with that doctrine. The Notification Act has not prevented any one of the diseases it was promised to do, and would, in my opinion, only cause an increased expense on the rates. With regard to the so-called prevention of consumption by sending patients to Sanatoria, they are sent after the disease is established, sometimes in an advanced stage. Where they are under proper and constant supervision, well and suitably fed, with nothing to do but sit or walk about in a healthy situation, they certainly improve as long as they are there ; but how is it when they return to their homes in a town and resume their work in a crowded factory ? Ere long they begin to lose what they have gained, and gradually, some rapidly, decline. In my opinion, the only way to prevent consumption is to live a different life, free from the excitement and pleasure of the present day. The craze for pleasure, and the constant restlessness and excitement, are rapidly sapping the constitution of the present age, not only as regards Consumption, but in the alarming increase of Insanity, for which the present system of education is sadly to blame. Children of tender years are forced beyond their strength, and their brains exhausted by cramming with a lot of useless knowledge which is utterly worthless in enabling them to get a living. Science is now, and has been for some years, striving to beat Nature, but, depend upon it, Nature will conquer in the end.