[Report 1971] / Medical Officer of Health, Hythe Borough.

  • Hythe (Kent, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1971
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1971] / Medical Officer of Health, Hythe Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    65 - 74 and 21 over 75 years. Thirty-eight of those deaths were over 65 years of age. These figures, although too small for any valid inference, indicate that Ischaemic Heart diseases is primarily a degenerative or senile disease. Coronary Atheroma of the Heart is not an -uncommon cause of death, often unsuspected in life, as revealed by post-mortem examinations. Cancer, as invariably in previous years, was the second highest cause of deaths of which there were 36. The age-groups were as follows:- 1 between 45 - 54; 8 between 55 - 64: 13 between 65 - 74 and 14 over 75 years. Cancer of the Lung/Bronchus was the cause of 9 deaths (6 M, 3 F.) in the following age-groups:- 3 between 55 - 64; 4 between 65 - 74; and 2 over 75 years of age. Cancer of the Breast was the cause of l(F) death between 45 - 54 years of age. Cancer of the Stomach was the cause of l(F) death in the 55-64 years of age group. The other causes of death were miscellaneousand there was no exceptional mortality; there was no death due to Infectious Disease. Infectious Diseases The following cases of Infectious Diseases were notified during the year:- Scarlet Fever ... Measles ... Whooping Cough Tuberculosis 10 161 12 There was one new case (IF.) aged 19 years of Respiratory Tuberoulosis. There were no deaths during the year from Tuberculosis. This disease, which in past history has been a scourge of man, and was known as the 'White Plague' is in these days almost completely under control, by prevention (including the elimination of housing overcrowding and a higher standard of living), and by treatment. Since 1950, the number of cases amongst adolescents amongst whom it was common, has gradually decreased to a minimum. Protection of school children by B.C.G. vaccination, which is offered to those aged 13 years and over, has been an important factor. Food Poisoning No cases of food poisoning were notified during the year. This fact was due to the efficiency and vigilance of the Public Health Inspectorate. A new era in the history of the prevalence of serious Infectious Diseases has been reached, in prevention and treatment. For example, the remarkable advance in this Century of medical science, with emphasis on the last 40 years, has prevented by vaccination and immunisation lethal and disabling infections such as Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough and recently Measles and German Measles and by treatment with specific Anti-biotics and Sulpha drugs, diseases caused by bacteria such as Acute Meningitis, the Pneumonias, Puerperal Sepsis, Scarlet Fever, Erysipelas, Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fevers and Food Poisoning etc.