[Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough.

  • Oldham (England). County Borough Council. nb2004302054.
Date:
1957
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1957] / Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Each of the participants in the trial still living in Oldham was visited during the year by a Health Visitor and each was invited to attend the Medical Research Council’s mobile mass radiography unit. This unit visited the Community Centre, Clegg Street, in February and again in August. In February the attendance was less than in previous years. Special efforts were made by the Medical Officer of Health and his staff to increase the attendance in August. The Health Visitors made an extra visit to the defaulters; employers were approached by the Medical Officer of Health and gave valuable help; and a car service was arranged for some of the defaulters by Health Visitors, the Women’s Voluntary Service, and the Medical Research Council staff. As a result of these efforts very nearly 60 per cent of our volunteers attended during the year; three-quarters of these came in August, when the total attendance exceeded 300. There has been close collaboration in this investigation between the Medical Officer of Health and his staff and the Medical Research Council. It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the energetic help given by the Oldham Authorities in this national research project. As regards the trial itself, no fresh progress report was issued in 1957. The report of 1956 showed that the protection from the vaccines against tuberculosis lasted for at least four years after the vaccination was given. How much longer this protection will last cannot be decided until this trial has continued for a few more years. Although B.C.G. can make a substantial contribution to the control and prevention of tuberculosis, other methods are also of paramount importance. The provision of B.C.G. vaccination for the school-leaving population does not mean that efforts in other directions aimed at the prevention of tuberculosis can be relaxed.” Co-operation With Voluntary Associations No specific duties have been delegated to voluntary organisations. The Home Nursing Sub-Committee made a grant of £5 5s. Od. for the financial year 1957-58 to the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis in support of the general work which the Association undertakes in the fight against tuberculosis. No patients were admitted to tuberculosis colonies during the year. A male aged 46 years (admitted 1950) continued to remain in the East Lancashire Tuberculosis Colony, Great Barrow, near Chester. A female aged 27 years (admitted 1947 to Papworth Village Settlement) commenced training there in February 1956 under the Ministry' of Labour Training Scheme and the patient was still undergoing training at the end of the year. Mental Illness or Defectiveness The arrangements for the care and after-care of persons suffering from mental illness or defectiveness are fully described in the Mental Health Section of this report. In a few cases special walking frames have been supplied to assist the defective to learn to walk and become ambulant.