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Of the methods of committing suicide the commonest
was by poisoning (Barbiturates 6, Domestic coal gas 6 and other
poisons 2). Hanging was used in four cases and falling from a
height in two cases. The remaining three cases died by shooting,
electrocution and in front of a motor vehicle.
Of the women who killed themselves, one was single,
six were married and four were widowed.
The occupations showed a cross section of the community
and ranged from a labourer to a professor.
There was no significant variation from the analysis of
the cases made in the Report for 1954•
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
Although the notifiable infectious diseases appear to
become of diminishing importance in the work of the Public
Health Department, there Is always the possibility of large
scale outbreaks of communicable diseases.
Immunisation has played a large part in the control
of these diseases and by this means smallpox has been completely
eliminated in this country and cases of diphtheria have been
reduced to very small numbers. With the absence of actual cases
the need for immunisation is not so apparent to the general
public and continued propaganda and persuasion is all the more
necessary if a reasonable proportion of the future generation is
to be given adequate protection.
There is a limit to the number of injections to which
most mothers will subject their children and there has been
some difficulty in producing a "programme" of immunisation
largely because of the differing views on the advantages or
risks of combined immunisation against two or more diseases and
on the relative dangers of different diseases.
Dr. Ian Taylor, for the London County Council has,
however, produced a programme or timetable which meets most of
the requirements and although every child is an individual and