[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Hythe Borough.

  • Hythe (Kent, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Hythe Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Disease of the Coronary Artery of the Heart was the cause of 35 or approximately 43$ of those deaths, in the following age-groups; 1 between 35 - 44; 3 between 45 “ 54; 4 between 35 - 64; 13 between 65 - 74; and 14 over 75 years. The majority of deaths was over 65 years which is the usual pattern and would suggest that a degenerative process is one of the chief causative factors, although the actual cause (or causes) is still obscure. Cancer, as invariably in previous years was the cause of the second highest number of deaths of which there were 36, in comparison with 20 in the previous year; the age-groups were as follow: 3 between 45 - 54; 5 between 55 - 64; 12 between 65 - 74; and 16 over 75 years. The majority of deaths, as would be expected, were over 65 years and the largest number over 75 years. Cancer of the lung and Bronchus was the cause of 8 deaths (6 M., 2 F.). This constitutes the usual ratio of males to females and may be correlated to the ratio of male to female cigarette smokers, although there is still considerable controversy concerning the primary causative factor. The age-groups at death were as follow^- 2 between 45 - 54; 2 between 55 - 64; 3 between 65 - 74; 1 over 75 years. The other causes of death were miscellaneous and there was no exceptional mortality. The Infectious Diseases The incidence of Infectious Disease throughout the year in the Borough was low and there was no serious notifiable disease. Scarlet Fever Six sporadic cases of this infection were notified. In contrast with the last century and early part of this century, this disease has become much less virulent and the majority of cases are now treated at home. The former serious complications are now relatively infrequent, although Acute Nephritis has to be considered as a possibility. Whooping Cough Only four cases of this distressful children's disease were notified. The vaccination scheme, as more and more infants become vaccinated in the Child Welfare Centres and in the Practitioners' Surgeries is proving its value, in the prevention of outbreaks. Measles This was a non-epidemic year, only six cases having been notified. It is very equivocal whether this Infectious Disease should be notifiable, as during epidemic years, Practitioners and office staff are flooded with notifications, which are a waste both of time and expenditure. Puerperal Pyrexia One case was notified iSince the introduction of the Sulpha drugs in 1936, and later the Antibiotics, there has been no death from Puerperal sepsis in this District. Tuberculosis Two cases of Respiratory Tuberculosis were notified - both were over 65 years of age, and probably they had a latent infection for many years. Prior to 1950, the majority of notifications was in the adolescent age-groups and that few, if any, are notified to-day emphasizes the advances of modern medical science. Also, two cases of non-Respiratory Tuberculosis were notified; both were notified as Tuberculosis of the cervical lymph nodes, and the ages o