[Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, Ware R.D.C.

  • Ware (Hertfordshire, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1960
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1960] / Medical Officer of Health, Ware R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    have increased, and if we include the leukaemia in this category they amounted to 30 or 23% of the total. The 3 deaths of infants under 1 year of age were due to congenital heart disease (1) and pneumonia (2). There were 2 deaths due to motor accidents and the two other accidental deaths were caused by a drowning. The one suicide was by drowning. Once more it is worth a moments' reflection to consider the ages at which the deaths occurred last year. From 70 years of age onwards the figures were as follows 70 - 75 75 -80 80 - ,85 85 - 90 go - 95 24 19 17 9 V* Thus 73 out of 127 deaths or 58% occurred in persons over the age of 70. It follows that in i960 there were only 49 deaths in persons aged between 0-65 years. If one cares to work this out as a percentage of the total population of 11,840 it will be found to be very small indeed. It can therefore be deduced that the health of the inhabitants of Ware Rural District is excellent. Infectious Diseases The most troublesome incidents during 1961 were two outbreaks of Sonn4 Dysentery, one occurring at a Residential Nursery. This outbreak was not an explosive one but rather a long drawn out infection with cases recurring even after treatment. With it was associated a slight outbreak of Infective Hepatitis which was reported to the Ministry of Health, Anglia. UuU C/ US c disease ih still notifiable in Fast Two persistent carriers were found among the children but after they were sent to hospital and returned eventually clear of infection, the outbreak subsided. In addition, Sonn£ Dysentery occurred at a school and spread rapidly. Twelve cases were confirmed and another sixty-two presented the appropriate symptoms but did not have positive bacteriological findings. A thorough investigation of kitchens, food handlers and food fittings was undertaken by Mr. Allison and as a result of his recommendation many improvements were introduced. Dysenteric types of infection have continued to be a trouble to doctors not only in East Hertfordshire but throughout the Kingdom. They produce a short illness lasting only a few days and characterised by diarrhoea and vomiting. Adults are affected as well as children and