[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C.

  • Godstone (Surrey, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/74 (page 2)
    ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE YEAR 1967. To the Chairman and Members of the Public Health Committee. Mr.Chairman, Ladies <5c Gentlemen, I beg to present my Report of the public health, sanitary circumstances and vital statistics of the Rural District of Godstone in the year 1967. The Report is drawn up generally in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health, as indicated in Circular l/68, and contains the information requested in the Public Health Officers' Regulations 1959. In most respects the statistics of the Godstone Rural District compare favourably with any recently recorded, in the district and with those for the country as a whole. The resident population estimated by the Registrar General at mid 1967 was 44,360; this represents an increase of 610 over the previous year. The recorded birth rate of 14.0 and the crude death rate of 7.8 show a slight decrease over those for 1966. Heart disease and cancer were again the main contributing causes of death. Two noteworthy epidemiological events in 1967 the expected prevalence of measles which exceeded the usual epidemic proportions; a total of 1120 cases were notified, and an outbreak of dysentery involving 61 cases. Twenty-one cases of food poisoning occurred in the area during the year, this number was somewhat higher than in past years. Investigations of some of the cases disclosed a positive link with infected farm animals. The incidence of tuberculosis continues to decline and the complete absence of confirmed cases of poliomyelitis and other acute infectious diseases of the nervous system is also noteworthy. In the field of active prevention it is gratifying to record satisfactory rates of acceptance of protective inoculation against the ever widening range of diseases for which affective immunizing agents are now available. Measles will soon be added to the list of diseases for which vaccination will be available. It was not necessary in 1967 to exercise the powers conferred under Section 47 of the National Assistance Act, to secure the compulsory removal of persons living in insanitary conditions and incapable of looking after themselves. One case in which it was thought that such action might be necessary was investigated and the person concerned was persuaded to accept institutional care.