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Although the number of cases notified is small, it is probable
that many other individual cases of a minor nature occur, but medical
advice is not sought, and so these never come to notice. This is less
likely to happen, however, where an outbreak is concerned, and so
this seems to indicate that most of the cases now occurring are
isolated ones.
The absence of outbreaks of this disease is perhaps evidence that
the patient educational work already carried out among foodhandlers
is now bearing fruit, and that a satisfactory standard of hygiene is
being gradually obtained. The continued occurrence of individual
cases, however, suggests that the same standards have not yet penetrated
into every home, where the cleanest food can be contaminated
during preparation, causing the isolated case, or small family outbreak,
of food poisoning.
Measles.
The year 1955 produced a large epidemic of measles, and a total
of 1,048 cases was notified in the Urban District, but it is a commentary
on the mildness of the condition that only eight of these cases
necessitated hospital admission. In the previous year 515 cases were
notified, but most of these occurred at the end of the year and were
part of the same epidemic. It is highly probable that the number of
actual cases was greater than this, but as always occurs when an
infection is mild, a certain number of cases never receive any medical
attention and so miss being notified.
No deaths from the disease were notified in the area.
Pneumonia (All Forms).
Altogether there were 106 cases of pneumonia notified during the
year, and 43 deaths from this cause. These figures were greater than
those for the preceding year, when 56 cases were reported. The
increased incidence of the disease occurred during the early months
of the year, and was almost certainly associated with the prevalence
of influenza-like illnesses at that time.