[Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Blackpool County Borough.
- Blackpool (England). County Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1907
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Blackpool County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![5^0 the yjjffa'ijor ^Idevmen and '^urgesses of the (SountTg borough of '^lacKpool. Mr. M.-vyor and Gentlemen, lu submitting my Seventh Annual Report, it is a source of keen satisfaction to me to be able to state that as regards the vital statistics for the year we have beaten all records. The gross death-rate, the nett death- rate, the zymotic rate, and the infant mortality rate are all lower than for any j^ear on record. There has been a persistent steady fall in the death-rate since 1899 ; it is certain that this cannot go on without a break, and that we are bound to have some lluctuations in the other direction, but the results of last year provide a fresh standard to work for in the future. The figures as to Infant Mortality are specially pleasing, because they approach comparatively near the ideal rate of 100, which has so often been held u]) as what we should aim at. The special climatic con- ditions of 1907 are no doubt greatly responsible for the lowered Infantile death-rate, but I think the work of the Rady Health Visitor has also helped. It is gratifying to find that our figures are lower than the rates for England and Wales as a whole. Unfortunately this is only the second time in 20 years that we could claim this position. I would earnestly commend to your serious consideration the remarks in Part I. of this Report in relation to phthisis and tubercular alTections generally. It is a \’ery grave matter that over one-tenth of our deaths in Blackpool should be due to what is really a preventible disease—tuberculosis. I desire also to direct your attention to the special section in Part II. on the Administrative Control of Measles and Whooping Cough. The value of notification in Measles is sometimes questioned, but I think a close examination of the statistics put forward will satisfy you that the pioneer action of Blackpool in this matter has been entirely justified by the successful results obtained. Part III. of this Report is but an incomplete record, but serves to indicate in some measure the wide sphere of work coming within the purview of the Health Department. I trust that the summary account will prove not uninteresting, and will satisfy you that every effort is being made to attain and maintain a high standard of efficiency as regards sanitary administration. The year 1907 was remarkable for the ex- ceptional number of measures passed into law which affect Public Health, and throw extra work on our Department. vSome allusion to these Acts of Parliament is made at the end of Part HI.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28932249_0003.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
