[Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, Worsbrough U.D.C.

  • Worsbrough (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / Medical Officer of Health, Worsbrough U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    32/56 (page 30)
    The diphtheria inmiunisation statistics presented last year a much brighter picture than those for vaccination but here again there is room for improvement. Th© statistics for 1953 showed that 68.6% of all children between the' ages of 0-14 years were immunised, with 42.5% of the children in the age group 0-4 years, and 80.5% of the children in the age group 5-14 years protected. Compared with the previous year the percentage in the younger age group was slightly higher and in the older age group slightly lower. The disparity in the percentage immunised in the two age groups still persists and it is an unhappy fact that for many years the majority of children in the lower age group remain unprotected until they begin their school life. Last year 164 children were given their primary immunisation at school, 164 children whose parents presumably could not be bothered before to avail themselves of the facilities offered. This strange indifference is an attitude of mind very difficult to counteract while diphtheria is only conspicuous by its absence, but it is a difficulty we must overcome if we wish to remain safe from a visitation of the disease. Food Poisoning*. Two isolated instances of food poisoning were reported last year with one patient admitted to hospital for treatment. In a district with the population of Worsborough two cases of food poisoning in one year is very small but it is certain more cases occur in any community than are reported and statistics in food poisoning do not usually reflect the true incidence. Much time has been spent by your Chief Sanitary Inspector on the food hygiene in shops and, acting on his suggestions, the shopkeepers have made many improvements both in structural alterations and equipment. The importance of food hygiene and the necessity for all to play a part is slowly becoming more accepted by the population and further improvements in the general standard of food handling can be expected. But the problems of food hygiene will not be met by achieving a high standard and then resting on one’s laurels, the conscious efforts of all at all times will always be necessary if the high standard is to be maintained.