THE DEPARTMENT of Health report for 1953-54, published today in 1955, underlined the huge progress that had been made in reducing deaths from TB over the previous decade, partly as a result of the introduction of the BCG vaccination after the second World War and treatments with antibiotics, but it continued to be a major killer among young people.
SPECTACULAR FALL IN DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOSIS
THE REPORT of the Department of Health for 1953-55 says that as in former years, diseases of the heart caused more deaths than any other. Of the 34,585 deaths (11.8 per 1,000) cancer caused 119 out of each 1,000 and tuberculosis 45. In the age group 15-24, just under 40 per cent of deaths were caused by tuberculosis; cancer and heart diseases between them caused over 50 per cent of deaths.
The report says that in recent years there has been a spectacular fall in the deaths from tuberculosis. Deaths from this disease in 1953 were 1,190 compared with 1,579 in 1952. The 1953 figure represents a rate of 40 per 100,000 population, about one-third of the 1947 figure. That there is still considerable room for improvement in the Irish death-rate for this disease is shown by the figures for certain other countries given, adds the report. The figure for England and Wales is 20 per 100,000 in 1953; for Northern Ireland 23.
In 1953 there were 15,603 marriages, or 5.3 per 1,000 compared to 5.4 for 1952. The 1953 rates for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were 7.8, 8.0 and 6.8, respectively. In Ireland there were 62,202 births in 1953, 21.1 per 1,000, compared with 21.9 for the previous year. In 1953, the figures for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were 15.5, 17.8 and 20.9 respectively. The figure for infant mortality for 1953, 39 per 1,000 live births, was the lowest ever recorded for this country.
Later the report says that from time to time it has been represented that a large number of Irish emigrants, particularly those from the western seaboard, leave this country suffering from TB in an active form. In their report of 1952, the National BCG Committee drew attention to the fact that evidence pointed the other way. The results of tuberculin testing carried out by the committee’s vaccinators in different parts of the country showed that a high percentage of young persons living in rural areas were tuberculin negative. Not only were they not suffering from TB, but they had never come in contact with the tubercule bacillus, and, of course, had not acquired a resistance to it. These young persons, particularly if they intended to take up work in large towns or cities, where they were liable to come in contact with cases of active TB, required the protection of BCG vaccination. The report says that no serious shortage of trained nursing staff for the TB service was encountered.
Referring to Mother and Child health services, the report says that the reduction in material, neo-natal and infant mortality continued in the year under review. A table indicates that in 1930 infant mortality per 1,000 birth was 68; in 1953 it was 39. Maternal mortality in 1930 was 4.77 per 1,000 births; in 1953 it was 1.20. Schemes for the provision of maternity and child welfare services continued on similar lines, generally, to those described in previous reports. The services made ready varied between the different health authorities concerned, ranging from a “reasonably comprehensive” service in Dublin city to the granting of subsidies to voluntary organisations providing nursing services. In a few areas no maternity and child welfare arrangements had been made.
To read this story in its original format and all the other items making the news on this day in 1955 go to http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1955/0505/Pg006.html#Ar00604