ANNEXURE G.
Tuberculosis
S
1949.
28
In the absence of accurate population figures it is not possible to present reliable mortality or morbidity rates in respect of tuberculosis. Its relative importance as a killing disease has however increased, accounting as it has for 16% of all deaths recorded as against 14.6% in 1948. In considering local conditions it is not at all surprising that some increase has taken place. Housing con- ditions, which have not at any time been good, have further deteriorated as a result of increased overcrowding brought on by the arrival of large numbers of refugees in the Colony. At the same time the Urban Council have been conducting an active campaign against squatters in the Urban areas who have been obliged to leave their illegal huts and seeks accommodation elsewhere, some to erect huts in less accessible
The sites, others to crowd into the already overcrowded tenements.
One case degree of this overcrowding is almost impossible to imagine. of pulmonary tuberculosis was recently found to be living on a floor, legally capable of housing 10-12 persons, but occupied by 23 families. Under such conditions, and with numerous cases of open tuberculosis at large among the population, it is not surprising that there has been an increase in the total number of individuals who were notified
These in- as suffering from, or who have died from, this disease. creases have been much more apparent in the acute forms of the disease such as miliary disease and tubercular meningitis.
Attempts have been made to limit the spread of this disease by propaganda, by loud speaker vans, by public notices, by pamphlets, by cinemas and by instruction of the patient in the clinic, in hospital
and in his own home, but little real improvement can be anticipated until there is a fall in density of the population, some control over the open cases is obtained, or there is a diminution in the number of susceptibles. An understanding of the local conditions is necessary before the difficulty of instituting any such measures can be appreciated. As an immediate measure the possibility of a B.C.G. vaccination cam- paign is under examination.
The figures available on the notifications of and deaths from tuberculosis are supplied herewith :-
TUBERCULOSIS.
(All Forms)
Notifications and Deaths
Year
Estimated population
Notifica-
tion
Death
D/N Ratio
Rates per
100,000 estimated population
1920
648,150
2,082
321.2
1921
625,116
1,894
303.1
1922
638,300
2,096
328.3
1923
667,900
1924
695,500
NOT
2,108
315.6
2,358
339.0
1925
725,100
2,291
315.9
1926
710,100
1927
740,300
1928
766,700
1929
802,900
1930
838,800
NOTIFIABLE
1,912
269.2
2,123
286.7
2,537
330.9
2,158
268.7
1,994
237.7
1931
840,473
1,983
235.9
1932
900,812
2,042
226.6
1933
922,643
2,225
241.2
1934
944,492
2,179
230.7
1935
966,341
2,237
231.5
1936
988,190
2,416
244.5
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