[Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Altrincham Borough.

  • Altrincham (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1946
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1946] / Medical Officer of Health, Altrincham Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    intercontinental aeroplane, the risk of Smallpox breaking out in this country is greatly increased. Complete protection against it demands a primary vaccination in the early months of infancy and a secondary vaccination 10 yoais later. The scourge of typhus is now largely eliminated by making use of the insecticidal powers of D.D.T. Diphtheria by means of universal immunisa- tion of the infant, followed by a reinforcement dose at the start of school life, would certainly disappear from the list of diseases in this country. Protection against Whooping Cough has not yet been attained with any degree of certainty. A newer preparation is being tried out on an extensive scale in several selected communities in this country. Although not equal to the prevention of disease, the curative effects of the sulphonamide drugs and penicillin are truly remarkable and dramatic. The provision and maintenance of small isolation hospitals throughout the country can no longer be justified. There are few cases for admission and the necessary period of hospitalisation is very much reduced. In the future, one large hospital would serve the needs of a very large population. Unfortunately, no specific drug or preparation has yet been found to renefer impotent the causative organism of tuberculosis. Scabies Six cases of Scabies, who had attended the Skin Hospital in Manchester, were notified to me by the Medical Officer of Health of the City of Manchester. Domiciliary visits were made to offer facilities for the sterilisation of bedding and underclothing. Water Supply With few exceptions, numbering 5, all houses are provided with a piped supply of water by the Corporation of Manchester. Summary of Infectious Diseases other than Tuberculosis Disease Total No. of cases Cases removed to Hospital 0- 1- 3- 5- 10- 15- 25- 45- 65 and over Smallpox — — — — — — _ - - - Scarlet Fever 36 27 — 3 7 14 4 5 2 1 - Whooping Cough 75 2 6 23 16 27 2 — 1 - - Measles 114 2 4 31 32 47 - - - — — Ophthalmia Neonatorum .... 3 — 3 — — - - ■- - - - Pneumonia 14 1 > 3 4 — - 2 1 Puerperal Pyrexia 3 3 — - - — - - ‘j 3 - - Erysipelas 10 3 — - — - - 3 2 5 Cerebro-spinal Fever 1 1 — - - - - — 1 -