[Report 1956] / Medical Officer of Health, Woking U.D.C.

  • Woking (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1956
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1956] / Medical Officer of Health, Woking U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    short supply and therefore restricted to a small number of the registered children. Owing to the incidence of poliomyelitis, all types of immunisation injections were suspended for several months, as were also many operations, especially those of the nose, throat or ear. The disease tuberculosis continues to show a decline per annum in the number of new cases notified despite the increased population and the visit of the Mass X-ray Unit during the month of September. The number of cases on the register, however, continues to rise. B.C.G. vaccination of school children shows that more parents agree to have their children skin tested and consequently more are vaccinated annually against the disease. Nevertheless greater use should be made of a Miniature Mass Radiography Unit which is permanently available at St. Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, and the number of parents who allow their children to be skin tested at school should be increased from the present figure of 58 per cent. Whilst there is no doubt that a residue of undiscovered foci of infection in the adult population is mainly responsible for the perpetuation of this disease in the com¬ munity, it is a condition which reacts most favourably to any measures which provide and promote a state of healthy living, and it is no easy task for the partially disabled, sputum positive case to earn his living in whatever vocation he may be especially skilled. A very substantial amount of time was of necessity expended by the public health staff during the year on the investigation of the activities of cases, carriers and contacts by reason of poliomyelitis and dysentery. I would wish to record my appreciation of the co-operation which I have received from the general practitioners, and in conclusion to convey my thanks to you, Mr. Chairman and Members, to the Clerk and all Chief Officers, for their assistance to me during the year. I have the honour to be, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, c. a. McPherson, Medical Officer of Health.