[Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Selby U.D.C.

  • Selby (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1965
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1965] / Medical Officer of Health, Selby U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/24 (page 4)
    To The Chairman and) Members of the Selby Urban District Council. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ii have the honour to present to> you my Nineteenth Annual Report on the health of the Urban District and the work of the Public Health Department for the year 1965. Vital Statistics^ There were 229 live births registered, an increase of 20', giving a Birth Rate of 21.4 per thousand population (Adjusted Birth Rate 22.2). The West Riding County Birth Rate for Urban Districts was 18.0 and for England and Wales 18.0. Three stillbirths occurred. 138 deaths occurred, giving a Crude Death Rate of 12.9 (Adjusted Death Rate 12.5). The aggregate County Rate was 12.3 and the rate for England and Wales 11.5. Births exceeded deaths by 91. 4 infants died under the age of one year, giving an Infant Mortality Rate of 17.5. The National Rate was 19.0 and for the County 21.0. Infectious Diseases. Notifiable infectious diseases totalled 36, of which 27 were measles. The Measles Vaccination, Trial was completed during the year by the vaccination of 82 children in the Divison who, had been the controls in 1964. A careful check is being kept on all vaccinated children in order to ascertain the protective value and duration of immunity, and vaccine will not be released for general use until this, evidence is available. So far tiwo cases of measles have occurred in 230 protected children. T tuberculosis. A glance back at the number of deaths and notifications of tuber¬ culosis shows how well ithis disease has been brought under control by combined treatment methods and preventive measures. There has been only one death from tuberculosis in the toiwn in the last ten >ears. Prior to that no; quinquennial period had less than nine deaths, and for 1916-1920 there were 78 deaths. Notifications of new1 cases are few; in the last five years only seven were recorded. No previous quinquennia] period had less than 33, and in 1921-1925 the total was 115 cases. Out of the 76 persons on the Tuberculosis Register at present quite a num¬ ber regard themselves as cured, and if they would take time off work for a final check could have their cure confirmed and their names re¬ moved from the Register. A word of warning is necessary that this greatly improved state will deprive the community of much of its natural immunity. The eradication of the tubercle germ from milk and meat and the diminution of infectious cases in the community not only lessens the chance of becoming a recognised case but lessens the chance of a subclinical infection, which in previous decades produced a herd immunity for most adults. This essential immunity has to be induced now artificially in the human body by vaccination. It is most important that all con¬ tacts of tuberculosis and allj children in their fourteenth year or younger should be tested and vaccinated if susceptible. A 100% immune population would see the final defeat of this disease. Go ole, Howden and Selby Hospital Management Committee. During the year the Leeds Regional Hospital Board decided to discontinue this Committee and to transfer its functions to the York A, York B, and the Pontefract and Castleford Committees. There was a good deal of local opposition toi the proposed change, but an assurance that there would be adequate representation, on, these Committees al¬ layed some of the agitation. Apparently there is no immediate inten¬ tion to> alter the scope or function of the local hospitals, but I feel that in the long term view’ the days of the small district hospitals are