View report page

264
rtie percentage incidence is calculated on the average school
population over the year at each school.
Holy Trinity showed the highest incidence (33.2%) of all
infectious diseases; this was due to a number of cases of iMumps
and Whooping Cough. Next came St. Peter's with 31.1%, due
to Chicken Pox and Whooping Cough; then St. Mark's (26%),
Gonville (21.9%), and South Norwood (19.9%). The lowest incidence
was found in Selhurst Grammar School (0.3%), Howard
and Lanfranc (0.9%), Davidson (0.8%) and British (1.3%).
Scarlet Fever.
Two hundred and seventy-nine cases were notified from the
Schools; of these, West Thornton (27), Waddon (IT), Portland
(15), and Ingram (14) showed the highest number of cases.
Diphtheria.
One hundred and twenty-seven cases were notified in the
schools, and of these Ingram, with 32 cases, had the largest number,
with Parish Church (13cases) next. Thecontinual higher incidence
at Ingram is a puzziing phenomenon. For several years past
the school has had an undue number of cases of Diphtheria.
Although, by universal swabbing and exclusion of carriers, outbreaks
are controlled for the time being, the malady is continually
reappearing. Sanitary investigations and a thorough survey
of the school premises have failed to reveal any contributory
factor. It would appear that there must be several intermittent
carriers among the scholars, though if every school child attending
the schools was swabbed it would be certain that a proportion
would have positive findings; yet Diphtheria does not loom so
largely in any of the other schools. The Schick testing and
immunisation of all the children would end the problem, but,
unfortunately, only a small number of parents are willing to have
this procedure carried out. A small outbreak occurred in the
Parish Church Schnool towards the end of the year, but was soon
controlled by swabbing and isolation. A small proportion of the
parents accepted the Schick procedure after the Medical Officer
had addressed them on the subject.
Mumps.
Out of a total of 594 cases in all the schools, Holy Trinity
(G2), Whitehorse Manor (60) and Rockmount (59) returned the
most cases.