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55
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES GENERALLY.
Table IV shows the total number of cases of infectious disease
(excluding Tuberculosis) notified during the year, the distribution
by age-groups and the number of cases admitted to hospitals.
Notifications.—The total number of cases of infectious
disease, excluding tuberculosis, notified during the year was 407,
as compared with 477 for the year 1932.
Chicken Pox.—Chicken pox, which was made a notifiable
disease in the Borough from 1st February, 1930, was removed from
the list of notifiable infectious diseases in July, 1932, as there did not
appear to be justification for extending the period of notification of
this disease in view of the decreased prevalence of Small-pox in the
Metropolis.
Smallpox.—The prevalence of Smallpox showed decrease
generally throughout the Metropolis during 1933, and in the
Borough no notification in respect of this disease was received, as
compared with 1 in the previous year.
A number of contacts who reside or work in the Borough had
to be kept under observation during the year, and in this connection
the inspectors paid 72 visits to Smallpox contacts.
The Public Health (Smallpox Prevention) Regulations,
1917.—These regulations empower Medical Officers of Health to
perform vaccination or revaccination of any persons who are
willing to be vaccinated and who have been in immediate contact
with individuals suffering from Smallpox. All those exposed to
infection who accepted vaccination or revaccination were attended
to by their own doctors or by the public vaccinator, and there arose
no occasion to perform any vaccinations under the regulations.