[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Pudsey Borough.

  • Pudsey (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Pudsey Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/84 (page 3)
    Divisional Public Health Office, The Green, Horsforth^ Leeds. TJie Chairman, Members of the Health Committee Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, All who knew him heard with regret of the untimely death of Dr. Holderness early in July, 1956. It is on this account that I review the work of the health services in the Borough during 1955, and draw attention to certain vital statistics of interest. The birth rate was 14.8 as compared with 13.7 in the previous year. Of the total births registered, 1.9 per cent were illegitimate as compared with 3.9 per cent in 1954. There were 9 deaths of infants under one year giving an infant mortality rate of 19.6. Of these 7 died within the first four weeks of life. This rate continues to compare favourably with that of 26.2 for the West Riding Administrative County and 24.9 for England and Wales. For J:he sixth successive year there were no maternal deaths which seems to reflect very favourably on the ante^natal super¬ vision given to mothers in this area. The death rate from all causes was 11.6 as compared with 12.0 in 1954. The preponderance of deaths due to heart and cir¬ culatory disease, cancer and respiratory diseases continues to present a rising problem and accounts for two-thirds of the noti¬ fied deaths. Seventy-four per cent of all deaths were persons aged 60 and over. The incidence of notified infectious disease was again light except that the Borough in common with the whole country experienced a measles epidemic, and a mild whooping cough epidemic. As these infectious diseases tend to run in cycles it was to be expected that we should receive our share. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis still calls for the continued application of preventive measures, and the closest co-operation between the medical staff, hospital staff, mass radio¬ graphy unit, and the housing authority. During the year, however, the first large scale active preventive measure has been initiated, namely the offering of B.C.G. vaccination to all 13 year old school children. By this means it is hoped to reduce the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis by giving protection to those children when they first start work which is a time when they are most liable to come into contact with outside infection risks.