[Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Liskeard R.D.C.

  • Liskeard (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1967
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1967] / Medical Officer of Health, Liskeard R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/28 (page 1)
    THE ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH To the Chairman and Members of the Rural District Council of Liskeard. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, The estimated population of the Health Area on 30th June, 1967, showed a small increase—51,640—as compared with 51,500 on the same date a year earlier. There were small increases in St. Germans R.D., Liskeard R.D., Saltash M.B. and Looe U.D. The figure for Liskeard M.B. remained static at 4,700 whilst Torpoint U.D. showed a fall of 250. There was a fall in the live birth rate from 18.7 per 1,000 in 1966 to 17.5 per 1,000 in 1967. In my report last year I referred to the unusually high figure for live births in Saltash M.B. In 1967 this fell to a more normal level bringing down the corrected birth rate from 23.9 to 17.9, this latter figure being close to the rate for the Health Area, and those of the other five County Districts in South East Cornwall. The rate for still births was well below the national figure as was also the infant mortality rate which at 9.3 per 1,000 live births was almost half the corresponding rate for England and Wales. There was some increase in illegitimate births which totalled 51 and represent 6.7% of all live births. No deaths associated with maternity and childbirth were registered. The corrected death rate at 11.5 per 1,000 of population was identical w ith last year’s figure and was slightly above the rate of 11.2 for England and Wales. The principal causes of death remained in much the same order as in previous years. Heart disease was responsible for 38% of all deaths, and cancer and strokes each caused 19% of all deaths. When cancer deaths are broken down the most prevalent single type of cancer causing death was that affecting the lungs, and windpipe. This type of cancer caused 25 deaths, being followed by cancer of the breast wLich caused 19 deaths. I was interested to note that diabetes was responsible for 11 deaths during the year. This suggests some increase in the preva¬ lence and severity of this disease. There is a strong possibility that excessive consumption of foods containing carbohydrates, particularly refined carbohydrates, combined with the resultant obesity, can determine the earlier onset of diabetes in a more severe form than would otherwise be the case. Here then is a further reason for urging moderation in the consumption of sweet and starchy articles of food since carbohydrates are additonally indicted as likely causes of disease of the heart and blood vessels, and are certainly responsible for most of the deplorable dental decay seen especially amongst children. More than ever perhaps in history is it true to say that w^e in our misuse of affluence are helping to dig our graves with our teeth. The incidence of notifiable disease was moderately heavy during the year when 1,115 cases were notified. No less than 1,036 of this total was in respect of cases of measles which was prevalent in Liskeard R.D., Saltash M.B., Liskeard M.B. and Looe U.D. Of the more serious types of notifiable disease two cases of meningococcal infection occurred. Both