[Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow.

  • Glasgow
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/278 page 12
    branches of public health. When the new National Health Scheme develops, increased responsibility will inevitably fall upon the Child < Welfare and Maternity Services. They form a very important part of public health administration, and, from their development, we may confidently*- anticipate a steady improvement in the health of future generations. The infant mortality rate rose to 77 compared with 67 in 1946. ! due mainly to a a serious increase in deaths from diarrhoea and enteritis. A special study of the position is being carried out by the Department, and, so far, one fact stands out clearly, namely, that breast-fed children are rarely affected or die of gastro-enteritis. Every effort is being made by the Child Welfare Department to ensure that more infants are breast-fed. The Home Help Service, which was expanded considerably during the year, has become well known throughout the city and has proved most valuable. The scheme, already well established, will be developed still further under the National Health Service Act. The total number of cases of infectious diseases registered during the year is the lowest recorded, but the city'- suffered its largest out- break of infantile paralysis. The last outbreak occurred in 1928 when 112 cases were confirmed with 8 deaths. In 1947 the Health Depart- ment received information regarding 319 definite acute cases, 262 of which were in the paralytic and 57 in the “ pre-paralyTic ” or abortive stage of the disease. In all, 29 deaths occurred, the majority of patients so extensively paralysed that they required treatment in the iron lung. Orthopaedic beds were made available in Mearnskirk and the E.M.S. * hospitals—Law, Hairmyres and Killearn—for the treatment of cases after the acute period had been passed in the fever hospitals, while out-patient treatment at three Education Health Service Orthopaedic Clinics was made available for home and ex-hospital cases. The etiology and epidemiology of the disease, however, still remain obscure, although world-wide research goes on continually. A complete report of the Glasgow outbreak, by Dr. Ian B. L. Weir of this Department, is included in Section IV. With regard to diphtheria, the campaign for the protection of children by immunisation has been intensified. 1 he number of cases of diphtheria has fallen to 502 compared with 1,45S for the preceding year, and there is no doubt that immunisation has been responsible for the reduction. The deaths numbered 13 compared with 37 during 1946, and all were among children who had not been immunised. It is
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image