Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1947, Blaðsíða 257

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loss of health is obligatory, in rural districts the parish councils niay,
after a general vote has been taken and a majority for it obtained,
adopt compulsory insurance. 55,9% of the population are now insured
under the National Insurance Act (children who are insured with
their parents not included). The total number of insured is estimated
to comprise 80% of the population.
18. Food and Nutrition. Public inspection of food has taken place
in this country since 1936, when the Food Adulteration Act came into
force. This act provides for comprehensive control of all articles of food
and other nutritients. This inspection is in the hands of the district
medical officers of health and the sanitary committees, in co-opera-
tion with the local police authorities. The chemical anlysis work
is done at the Public Chemical Analysis Institute in Reykjavik. 637
samples of food (milk and water excepted) were submitted for ana-
lysis in 1947, out of which number 57 were found to be not up to the
standards (8,9%).
19. Hospitals, large and small, in 1947 numbered 49 in the whole
country, with 1208 beds, or 9,0 beds per 1000 inhabitants, 43 of this
number being general hospitals, with 737 beds, or 5,5%c. In the
tuberculosis sanatoria there are 257 beds, or about 1,9%0. Of other
special hospitals may be mentioned: 1 lunatic asylum, 1 leprosarium
and 1 small cpidemic hospital in Reykjavik. The sickdays in hospi-
tals amounted to 3,1 per head for the whole population, while in the
general hospitals the figure was 1,7 and in the sanatoria 0,74. Added
to this there is always a considerable number of tuberculosis patients
in the general hospitals (cf. also tables XVII—XVIII).
Patients in general hospitals this year may be classified as follows:
Epidemic Diseases ...................... 3,8 %
Venereal Diseases....................... 4,4 —
Tuberculosis ........................... 3,1 —
Hydatid Disease ........................ 0,1 —
Cancer — Malignant Growths............. 3,1 —
Rirths, Miscarriages etc.............. 12,7 —
Violence ............................... 6,5 —
Other Diseases ........................ 66,3 —
20. Vaccination is compulsory in Iceland. 1630 children were vac-
cinatcd for the first time, 68% with full reaction, and 1181 revac-
cinated, 60% with full reaction (cf. table XIX).