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information gleaned from notification. When such treatment
is available its efficacy will most probably depend on its use
prior to an outbreak or its early use by the doctor attending
the case, irrespective of notification.
Fortunately very few deaths from this disease have occurred locally
(9 in the 14 years before the war and 1 during the last 7 years). As it is
impossible to state what percentage of actual cases these figures represent,
it would be unwise to attempt to deduce from them any improvement
or deterioration which may have resulted from notification.
Whooping Cough.
During 1945, notifications of this disease numbered 100, this being
rather more than in either of the previous three years, though less than
the number notified in 1941.
As in the case of measles, it is probable that only a proportion of
the cases are notified, partly owing to the fact that a doctor is not always
called in.
The position with regard to the usefulness of notification of whooping
cough in a District such as this is very similar to that stated above
in respect of the notification of measles. If anything can be deduced
from the death returns, it is that the position worsened during the seven
war years, as five deaths occurred in that time, compared with four in
the 14 years before the war, but with such small numbers it would not
be fair to make any deductions.