Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales.
- New South Wales. Department of Public Health
- Date:
- [1928]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the Director-General of Public Health, New South Wales. Source: Wellcome Collection.
9/164
![Honorable the Minister of Public Health. Sir, I have the honour to present herewith my report for the year 1928. The activities of this office continue to expand to meet the demands made upon it in the wide fields of public health. The reports of the various divisions, into which the work of the office is sectionalised, briefly describe the various matters which have been dealt with during 1928. In order that adequate attention might be given to the important subject of venereal disease, a director of this division was appointed during the year. The additions to the staff in recent years have intensified the already overcrowded state of the office accommodation and it has been necessary to rent quarters elsewhere for several sections at a cost of £404 per annum. The co-operation of medical officers of other State departments and of the Federal health service have been availed of in dealing with various questions. An advance has been made in bringing about a, degree of centralisation of the medical officers engaged in various departmental and other activities. Such an arrangement has many advantages. During recent years steady progress has been made by local authorities in matters concerning public health. It is true that, as a result of sanitary surveys of different districts by dej>artmental officers, unsatisfactory conditions are found, and in some cases pressure has to be brought to bear by the department to compel necessary improvements. That some real progress has come about in this State is evidenced by the steady decline in the incidence of typhoid fever, which is universally regarded as closely associated with general insanitary conditions. The incidence of typhoid fever over the whole State during the past two years has been the lowest since notification came into force some thirty years ago. A good deal has been accomplished in the direction of improving the environment of the individual, more particularly in the cities and larger towns. There is, however, room for improvement in various directions. Whilst the institution of safe water supplies is gradually proceeding, little progress is being made in providing sewerage systems. It is to be regretted that many towns of several thousand inhabitants are still without the benefits to be derived from wrater carriage systems of sewerage, and have to rely on conservancy methods for dealing with excreta. If some scheme could be devised whereby local authorities might obtain funds at cheap rates for the institution of sewerage systems there would no doubt be very much more rapid progress made than is now possible. There is all the more need nowadays for the sanitary condition of country towns to be brought to a high level in view of the great traffic resulting from motor transport. As against environmental conditions there are other important matters which directly concern the health of the individual. Some of these fall within the scope of work of existing divisions of the department, e.c/., maternal and baby welfare, venereal disease, &c. There are, however, many other important problems which are not receiving the attention they deserve, e.g., dietetics, mental hygiene, the pre-school child, &c. The need for consolidation and amendment of the various statutes dealing with health matters has been brought under notice on many occasions, and is again mentioned in view of its importance. It is hoped that this matter will receive attention in the near future. Vital Statistics. , . The .leadi“g items of the vital statistics for the year have been extracted from the Government Statistician’s Report (p. 8). At the end of 1928 the population of the State was 2,446,874; the birth rate for 1928 was 22-59 and the death rate 9-55 per 1,000 of the population. The birth rate was 4-5 per cent, and the death rate 1 per cent, below the average of the previous five years. Of the total deaths, 3,004 were of infants under one year of age, equal to a rate of 54-82 per 1,000 births. The reduction in the infantile mortality rate has not shown, itself in the first months of life. Intensive work is needed to help solve the difficult problems which lead to the heavy toll amongst the newly born. Apart from measles and scarlet fever, the infectious group of diseases occasioned 7 per cent, fewer fatalities compared with the previous five years. Measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria and whooping cough continue to be constantly present in the community. Although it is considered that by the widespread use of protective inoculation the incidence of these diseases could be reduced to very small proportions, a great deal of attention will need to be given to the education of the public as to the value of this procedure before one can expect its more general use. Deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis continue to diminish, whilst the deaths from cancer and heart disease are increasing year by year. (See graph, ] age 10.) In connection with the cancer problem considerable assistance, monetary and oilier, has been provided by the Federal and State Governments to forward cancer research and treatment. The investigation of certain problems connected with cancer is being carried out by several research workers under direction of the Cancer Research Committee, and the facilities for treatment by radium and deep therapy are being considerably extended to meet the pressing needs of the sufferers. *2179—A](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31485194_0009.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
