[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Neath R.D.C.

  • Neath (Wales). Rural District Council.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Neath R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    INFANTILE MORTALITY RAIL. This rate is calculated on the number of infants per thousand live births who tailed to survive the first year of life. During 1955 this rate was 40.64. This was a marked increase on last year’s rate. Out of the 23 deaths recorded, 11 were premature births, four died from broncho pneumonia, three were congenitally malformed ; in two cases the lungs failed to function, one died from a brain haemorrhage and one died following an accident. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. WHOOPING COUGH. Fifty-four cases were notified with no deaths. 1 cannot emphasise too strongly that all mothers should take the opportunity of having their babies immunised at an early date and so avoid not only the distressing symptoms of this disease, but also the complications which follow. SCARLET FEVER. Twelve cases were notified: all were of the mild type. The germ which causes this disease responds quickly to the modern antibiotics and the old complications which did follow scarlet fever are rarely seen to-day. Only in overcrowded households and institutions is it really necessary to hospitalize the patient. DIPHTHERIA. Again no cases were recorded, but it is still necessary tc continue with immunisation against this disease. Outbreaks have occurred in various parts of the country with distressing results. The number of children being immunised is still far too small and I dread to think what would be the conse- quences should an outbreak occur. The facilities are available. Parents do know about them and I urge them all to protect their children. MEASLES. This was an epidemic year. Over five hundred cases were notified, with one death. We have at present no immunising material for measles, so please call in the family doctor as soon as symptoms develop, in order to prevent the long complications which prove so dangerous in young children. POLIOMYELITIS. Six cases were notified during the year. All were of the paralytic type. The cases were distributed in various parts of the Rural Area and there did not seem to be any connection between them. This report is being compiled after the introduction of the new anti- poliomyelitis vaccine. I sincerely hope that all parents will take the opportunity ot protecting their children against this disease. Owing to the scarcity of the vaccine only certain age groups have so far been offered vaccination, but in the New Year a sufficient supply will be available for all groups. TUBERCULOSIS. Thirty new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and six cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis were notified to the department during the year. There were eight deaths. It is generally agreed that we are slowly overcoming this disease. The death rate per 100,000 of the population is decreasing all over the country and for the Neath Rural Area is .19. When compared with .26, which was the rate for 1934, this is a most satisfactory decrease. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has advocated a scheme of B.C.G. vaccination against tuberculosis and this in the first place is offered to all children in our schools aged 13 years.