[Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Prudhoe U.D.C.

  • Prudhoe (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1964
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1964] / Medical Officer of Health, Prudhoe U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TUBERCULOSIS New Cases notified during 1964 Pulm 0 n a vy N o n - P it Inio n a vy Male Female Male Female Under 1 year . . . . — — — 1— 5 years . . . . — — — — 5—15 .. . . . . ] — — — 15—25 ,, .. — — — 25—35 „ .... — — — — 35__45 „ .... — 1 — — 45 years and over . . . . 3(1) — — — 4(1) 1 - - (Prudhoe and Monkton Hospital cases indicated in brackets) Tuberculosis Register Pulmonary Non-Pulmonary 'Total Male Female Male Female December, 1963. . .. 24 15 11 7 57 December, 1964. . .. 25 16 11 7 59 Number of Cases in Prudhoe and Monkton Hospital Sanatorium December, 1964. . . . 7 9 1 1 18 Comparison with Previous Years (excluding Prudhoe and Monkton Hospital cases) New Cases Year Pulmonarv N on-Pulmon ar^ All Deaths Average 1951—1955 10 ■ 2 1 Average 1956—1960 5 1 1 1961 .. 3 — 1 1962 .. 1 1- 1 1963 .. 5 — 2 1964 .. 4 — _ The tuberculosis situation was trausforiucd between the years 1946 and 1960. The main factor has undoubtedly been the introduction of efficient drug treatment which improves the prospects enormously for the individual patient. As a result the number of tuberculosis deaths is reduced to about one-tenth of the previous figure. The individual contracting the disease is able to return to full community life in a matter of months and is not likely to break down. Treatment as well as helping the individual so much also hel])s the community because it quickly renders non-infections those individuals witli open tuberculosis who are coughing up the tuberculosis bacillus. The other main factor in transforming the tuberculosis position is early diagnosis. This again is of great benefit to the individual as it greatly reduces the time spent in hospital and makes cure much more certain. It also leads to the early isolation and treatment of those trans¬ mitting the disease and thus prevents spread. Contacts of cases, both at work and home, are examined at chest clinics. Up till 1963 mass x-ray units visited most districts each year and members of the public were encouraged to come forward.