[Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, Glossop Borough.

  • Glossop (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1945] / Medical Officer of Health, Glossop Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/44 (page 2)
    since 1911—20 being from 3.59 to 1.93 for the five year period 1936—40 and to 2.29 for the five (war) year period 1940—45. Infectious Disease of the Alimentary tract shows a more noteworthy decrease for the period 1891—1900 the mortality rate per 1,000 was for Enteric Fever 0.7 and for the ten year period 1936—45, .000. This disease, therefore, so far as killing is con- cerned is practically wiped out, but this did not happen until the pail closet conversion scheme was completed. Scarlet Fever has decreased in rate from 0.19 for the 1891— 1900 period to 0.010 for the ten year period 1936—45. There have also been dramatic decreases in. the death rate for Measles and Diphtheria, the death rate for Diphtheria de- creasing from 0.13 for the ten year period 1911—1920 to .000 for the five years ending 1945. No child has died in Glossop from Diphtheria during the last eight years. . Whooping Cough has decreased from 0.072 in the 1911—20 period to 0.034 for 1940—45. Whooping Cough is a disease it would be well to pay more attention to and cases of this disease should be more often sent to the Isolation Hospital. Regarding the inc'dence of disease (prevalence) other than Infectious, and disability caused by disease, M.O.H.’s have little or no information. This is a state of affairs that should be remedied at the earliest possible moment so that Health Authori- ties could enquire into their causation and suggest measures of prevention. We now must mention one of the most delicate criterions for measuring the health of a community,—its Infant Mortality rate per 1,000 births. In the period 1891—1900, 173 children out of every 1,000 born died before reaching one year of age ; in 1944 and 1945 the rate had been reduced to 39. This is a great reduction but I am convinced the rate could be reduced further by improving social conditions, particularly housing conditions and educating young girls adequately in child welfare, general hygiene and dietetics and I put the target figure for Infant Mortality at 25 per thousand. The future will show whether this will be realised or not. Now it is for the writer of this Report to drop his pen and say farewell; in doing so he thanks those members of the Council who supported his efforts during the tenure of his office, and the members of his staff for loyal and skilled help and last but not least the members of the public including especially the mothers and children who have co-operated ; and in this co-operation he must include the children and even the babies who have patiently submitted to inoculations and to many examinations and measure- ments. The child is father of the man ’ ’ and mother—some day he will be a citizen of this town. May Health and Happiness be his. Your obedient servant, F. H. M. MILLIGAN, M.D., D.P.H., Medical Officer of Health.