[Report 1934] / Medical Officer of Health, Sheffield City.

  • Sheffield (England). City Council
Date:
1934
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1934] / Medical Officer of Health, Sheffield City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    17/204 (page 15)
    HOOPING Cough.—The mortality from this disease was at the rate of 0-()67 per 1,000 living:. The average for the quinquennium 1929-33 was 0-076. Typhoid Fever.—Tlie number of typhoid eases notified during the year 1934 was 5, giving an attack rate of 0-01 per 1,000 living, which has to be compared with an average for the quinquennium 1929-33 of 0-036. Three deaths occurred, giving a mortality rate of 0-006 per 1,000 living, which is the same figure as for the quinquennium 1929-33. Di.arrhcea .VXD Enteritis, under Two Years of Age.—Mortality from this group of diseases is now stated per 1,000 born, and the figure thus obtained is 3-72 for 1934 as compared with 5-4 for England. The rate for 1933 was 6-27 for Sheffield as against 7-1 for England. Sheffield therefore occupies a favourable position. This is very marked in the towns table “ L ” where Sheffield appears with a low mortality rate only excelled by Bristol. Portsmouth and Plymouth. If reference is made to Annual Reports of the early years of the present century, it will be found that Sheffield then occupied actually the w'orst position among the great towns as regards mortality from this group of diseases. The great decrease in the prevalence of Diarrhoea in Sheffield may be attributed to the greater attention given in recent years to Child Welfare, the activities of the Health Visitors, especially their educational work, and the large substitution of Dried Milk for fluid milk; the measures taken for the prevention of fly breeding, and instructions to the public as to the danger of flies; the abolition of privy middens in the congested parts of the City; and the campaign against unpaved yards. Undul.vnt Fever.—A definite case of Undulant Fever was reported during 1934. All necessary action Avas taken. Cerebro-Spinal Fever.— During the year there were 46 notified cases of Cerebro- Spinal Fever, with 22 deaths. This disease Avas prevalent during 1930 in the adjoining districts in the West Rinding of Yorkshire, and the notifications increased in Sheffield from 1 in January to 10 in the month of August, 1931. TAvice during 1932 the number of notifications in the month reached 10. During the fii-st quarter of 1933 the disease aayts reaching serious proportions, 56 ncAV cases haA-ing been reported. Prompt measures were adopted for dealing Avith contacts and happily the prevalence subsided until in September not a single ncAv case Avas reported. Since that month the average per month up to the end of 1934 was four. Further reference to this disease Avill be found in the City Fever Hospitals section of this report. Acute Pouiomyelitus.—8 cases of Acute Poliomyelitis or Polioencejihalitis Avei-e notified in 1934, as against 10 in 1933, 40 in 1932, 45 in 1931, 5 in 1930, 3 in 1929, 12 in 1928, 18 in 1927, 6 in 1926, 16 in 1925, 53 in 1924, 1 in 1923, and 20 in 1922. One death occurred during 1934. The decided increase in the number of notifications of this disease in 1931, made it necessary to organise Hospital and Out-patient Treatment and Dr. Pattison, the Surgical Tuberculosis Officer, undertook this responsibility. Special arrangements A\eie made at the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinic for Orthopaedic ti-eatment and beds at the King EdAvard VII Hospital were allocated for the treatment of this disease after the acute stage. Further reference to this is made in the special section liy Dr. Pattison on page 106. Enceph.alitis Lethargica.—The year 1924 Avas noteworthy for a A-erj seAeie outbieak ■of Encephalitis Lethargica Avhen there were 337 cases notified. The outbreak quickly sub¬ sided, and during the bust three years one case only was notified. The deaths now being registered are chiefly in jiersons Avho contracted the disease dining the 1.J24 e])idemic. There Avere nine deaths in 1934.