[Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City.

  • Leeds (England). City Council.
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1919] / Medical Officer of Health, Leeds City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    reduction of 3-7 per thousand on the rate for the previous year (19-9), which was abnormally high owing to the ravages of Influenza. The greatest number of deaths in 1919 took place in the first quarter (that is when the third outbreak of Influenza occurred), but rapidly diminished during the second and succeeding quarters. The rate for the third quarter was extremely low, namely, 11-3 per thousand of the population, and that more than compensated for the ex¬ cessively high figure recorded for the first quarter and made the average for the year much more favourable than it otherwise would have been. Compared with that of England and Wales, 13-8 for the year, the Leeds death-rate 16-2 shows a considerable excess, though not much more so than in the previous five years. The principal causes of death in order of numerical importance were Bronchitis, Heart Disease, Influenza, Cancer, Pneumonia and Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Respiratory diseases taken as a group were responsible for a large proportion, approximately 20 per cent, of the total deaths, vide Table p. 12. This is a fact of some importance and one which has received far too little attention in the past. Respiratory diseases, Phthisis, Bronchitis and Pneumonia, are controllable and preventable diseases. They are largely the result of gross errors of living such as bad clothing, bad feeding, the breathing of impure air and the over-indulgence in alcohol. Whilst their victims are to be found in all classes of the community, they chiefly attack those who live in small, ill-ventilated, overcrowded houses in congested working-class areas. When they do occur a fatal result should be the exception, as taken in time and properly treated, recovery ought to be assured in the majority of instances. They are all essentially curable diseases and the fact that so many succumb is largely because of the lack of skilled treatment and proper nursing under good and healthy conditions. No case of Pneumonia, Bronchitis or Pulmonary Tuberculosis can be safely treated in small, dark or ill-ventilated rooms. If the attempt is made, and it too often is, the result will almost certainly be disastrous. Where sufficient suitable accommodation for the treatment of cases of these diseases is not available in the home it should be supplied in our large public institutions. Certain provision has already been made for the treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, but none for the other two diseases. This is a serious