ENGLAND NEARER THE A1 GOAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3352, 20 December 1926, Page 3

ENGLAND NEARER THE A 1 GOAL.

England's strides towards the goal of an A 1 nation are chronicled by Sir George Newman, chief medical officer of the Ministry of Health, in his annual report for 1925. Tt is fifty years since, the passing oi the Public’ Healtli Act, and the report gives a general summary of a half-cell-tiny of improvement in health. Devastating epidemics, such as cholera and typhoid fever, have disappeared. While types of diseases have become milder, including scarlet fever, diphtheria* whooping cough, tuberculosis, smallpox, and bronchitis, a prolongation of life, has taken place. ‘•lnfancy and childhood are unquestionably healthier to-day tl\an titty years ago, and twice tlio number of children survive to grow up. How much remains to he done, however. is shown by striking figures ot the sickness of insured persons, who number about one-third ol the population. During 1925 there was a “stop-, page" of 25,000,000 weeks’ work, or (he equivalent of twelve mouths work of nearly half a million persons. •It must he said,” adds the report, “(hat while we are reaping substantial benefit in many directions, we neglect to take our full profits.’’ Colds take first place in these casual sicknesses with 181.9 per 1000 of the t/.jail. Digestive troubles come next at 12-1.5 per 1000. and influenza follows at 1 1 ■" 11 per 1000. Methods of prevention of influenza are. unfortunately, unreliable. “Speaking generally, the sensible course is to pursue a tegular, healthy life, avoiding excesses of all kinds, and taking as much outdoor exercise as circumstances permit.” . The birth-rate of 18.0 per 1,000 ts the lowest on record, apart from, the Avar years hut against this is ollsct the continued' bnv infant mortality rate ol 75 per 1.000 This means that there was a saving of .‘57,000 iulant lives last year in comparison with twenty years ago. Heart diseases, bronchitis, and respiratory diseases. •cancer, nervous diseases’, and tuberculosis are responsible in that order for .more than (50 per cent, of the death rate. There has been a certain compensation between cancel' and tuberculosis Deaths from cancer have increased from 5(5:5 per million in 1881 to 1,0.50 per million, while tuberculosis death' have declined from 2,571 to 1,0.38 per million. ...... Smallpox continues to increase. “ I nc irony ot the present situation lies aw the 'fact that this is the one disease for vvlnch we have an mlaljihle preventive in the opinion of those best qualified to judge, vaccination remains our one unci only sure bulwark its spread.” 2 \ romnrkablc IVict brought out is that the death-rate liom pneumonia steadily decreases from north to south. “KvicleuHv the mirth of England, savs Ibe report, “has stall much to learn • vith regard to its prevention. Another striking statement refers to “loose talk as to the cost in human lives of a London fog.” An opinion is onoted that fog alone had no appreciable effect on the respiratory death-rate.