[Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough.

  • Oldham (England). County Borough Council. nb2004302054.
Date:
1958
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1958] / Medical Officer of Health, Oldham County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    There were 12 deaths due to tuberculosis (all forms) and the death rate of 0.10 compares with 0.13 for the previous year and 0.10 for England and Wales. One death was registered as due to non-pulmonary tuberculosis. This case had not been notified prior to death. It is to be regretted that 4 of the 11 deaths due to pulmonary tuberculosis also escaped statutory notification although one was notified posthumously. Tuberculosis has indeed changed with the passing years. Deaths are now rare among children and young adults and it is the aged who succumb to the disease. Details of the infectious diseases are given in the body of the report. Measles, strangely enough, became prevalent in the summer months and continued in epidemic form into the early months of the subsequent year. Dysentery was rampant in the early part of the year. There were 4 cases of poliomyelitis notified and confirmed, and one death from this disease. The other notifiable infectious diseases caused no real concern Once again there was no major outbreak of food poisoning and only 9 cases were notified. I would refer you to the statistics relating to cancer. The deaths occurring from cancer per year have not varied greatly during the last six years averaging 288 per year. More than half of these deaths occurred in persons aged 65 years and over. In the younger age groups males escape fairly lightly, only 7 deaths occurring under 45 years of age, compared with 12 among females in the same age group. In the next age group, i.e., 45 to 55 years, ‘the incidence in males leaps to 26 compared with 14 for females. Of the 26 deaths, 13 were due to cancer of the lung. Cancer of the lung accounted for 57 deaths in all age groups, and has remained stationary around this figure for the last three years. The problem of lung cancer and cigarette smoking has received attention through the arrangements made with the Manchester Committee on Cancer. It is felt that one of the more useful avenues of education with regard to lung cancer is through the schools, and Mr. John Wakefield, the Executive Officer of the Committee is very willing to arrange talks to senior pupils through the head teachers. Little progress has been made with slum clearance, only 169 houses were represented during the year. Of these, 75 were dealt with as individual unfit houses, and 94 included in clearance areas. These figures are pitiful but no blame can be placed on the officers of the Department. The existing staff now makes it possible for many hundreds of houses to be represented yearly, but this cannot be done when there is no possibility of rehousing the displaced tenants. The slum clearance programme is far in advance of the housing programme. At the end of the year there were 579 families awaiting rehousing from properties where the slum clearance procedure had been completed apart from demolition. Changes have again occurred in the staff. In January, Dr. T. W. Sherratt left the service on being appointed to the post of Assistant Divisional Medical Officer, Lancashire County Council (Division 14). In June, Dr. B. A. Murray left to return to Ireland. Mr. E. Twelves, a Dental Officer, left in September having been appointed to a post with the Cheshire County Council. Mr. D. B. Worthing¬ ton, Psychologist, left in February to take up the* post of Educational Psycholo¬ gist with the Lancashire County Council. Mr P. J. Bird, who had been employed as Supervisor of the Training Centre from August 1957, resigned having accepted an appointment as Student Probation Officer. In recent years, there have been few changes in the membership of the Health Committee, but in May, Councillor Mrs. E. Rothwell ceased to be a member of the Council. She had been a member of the Health Committee since May 1951, and Chairman of the Home Nursing Sub-Committee for the year 1957/58. She had seen many changes and improvements in the Health Services. I wish to express my appreciation of the courtesy she always extended to me and to the members of my staff during the time which she served on the Health Committee. I wish to tender my sincere thanks to the Chairman and menders of the Health Committee for their support and encouragement. My thanks are also due to all members of the staff for their loyal service during the year. ' I have the honour to be, Your obedient Servant, J. T. CHALMERS KEDDIE, Medical Officer of Health,