[Report 1933] / Medical Officer of Health, Halifax County Borough.

  • Halifax (England). County Borough Council. nb2008024085.
Date:
1933
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1933] / Medical Officer of Health, Halifax County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/128 (page 6)
    The deaths numbered 1,501 compared with 1,441 last year ; 1,465 in 1931 ; 1,395 in 1930 ; 1,522 in 1929 ; 1,286 in 1928 ; 1,585 in 1927. For 1933 the deathrate was 15.4 The deathrate for England and Wales was 12.3, and for the 118 Great Towns 12.2. * * * * The excess of deaths over births was 404, or 4.1 per 1,000 of the population. * * * * The marriage rate was 15.7 per 1,000 of the population. * * * * The deathrate may possibly rise again within the next ten years owing to the ageing of the population. * * * * As regards Maternal Mortality we must be careful not to slow down by one pulsation our resolve to combat it. In this connection I am preparing a scheme for the payment of mid- wife’s fees in necessitous cases. It is significant that maternal mortality is lowest in countries where the status and qualifi- cations of midwives are highest. I cannot over-emphasise the great value of ante-natal and post-natal care. The facilities exist, and I would appeal for their greater usage. * * * * Pneumonia was fairly prevalent in the first quarter of the year. It is often a tragedy. Pneumonia rapidly kills people who but a few days before were in good health. Any method of reducing its mortality would be of great value to -.the country. It is perhaps unfortunate that only certain types are notifiable. The outlook in many cases of pneumonia can now be gauged by an examination of the blood. * * * # As will be noticed in the Report, Diphtheria is a deadly disease. The value of diphtheria immunisation is no longer open to question, but in England it makes slow progress, and unless a large proportion of our child population takes advan- tage of it, immunisation will not materially affect herd immunity and so limit diphtheria. Once diphtheria is established the progress of a case depends on how long the disease has lasted before antitoxin is administered. Sore throats should never be disregarded by parents, and if there is any suspicion of diphtheria a doctor should be called in without delay. The time factor is everything in this disease.