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98
SECTION F
Prevalence of, and control over, infectious and
other Diseases.
During the year under review, the only addition to legislation in
respect of Infectious Diseases was provided by the Public Health
(Acute Poliomyelitis, Acute Encephalitis and Meningococcal Infections)
Regulations, 1949, which came into force on 1st January, 1950.
The introduction of these Regulations became necessary in order that
nomenclature would be consistent with the International Standard
Classification of Diseases which also came into general use on 1st
January, 1950. It also slightly extended the scope of clinical
conditions notifiable under the heading of acute encephalitis.
The total number of Infectious diseases notified under Section
192 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936, and associated Orders
and Regulations was 1,536. Under the Public Health (Tuberculosis)
Regulations 1930, there were 145 notifications, giving a consolidated
total of 1,681 cases notified during the year. In 37 of these
cases the diagnoses were not confirmed, thus giving a corrected figure
of 1,644. The following table indicates the figures for five years :—
Year No. of corrected notifications
1946 1,691
1947 1,013
1948 1,671
1949 1,335
1950 1,644
Average 1,471
Particulars of age groups and districts affected are shown in the
tables at the end of the Report.
Smallpox.—There were no cases notified during the year but a
number of contacts were reported arriving in the Borough from
abroad and these were kept under observation for the requisite
period.
Prior to 1900, smallpox was literally a common infectious
disease in this country but today, although just as lethal, it is