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9
Sonne Dysentery.
For the first ten months of the year eight cases of Sonne Dysentery were
notified, all of them isolated cases. In November the receipt of two notifications
revealed a number of children in two local schools with a recent history of some
slight intestinal disturbance. Investigations were at once started and a number of
these were found to be positive Sonne. A contact of a case in another district
was found positive and gave a history of diarrhoea during the summer holidays.
This child was a pupil at one of the two schools first investigated. As a result of
examination of faecal specimens from all contacts and suspects the outbreak was
found to be widespread and in all by the end of the year cases totalling 161 had
been found in 76 families. Another 140 families were visited and specimens
taken. A total of 1,108 specimens, of which 317 were positive and 791 negative,
were obtained by the end of the year.
The outbreak was characterized by the mild degree of symptoms, often
only diarrhoea for a day, and the persistence of the infection in some cases in
spite of medical treatment. Also the rapid spread of infection in families,
especially in large ones, and in those whose standard of personal hygiene was
not of the highest. It was decided from the start that two negative specimens at
weekly intervals were to be obtained before a case was considered clear, and the
value of this was shown by the number of cases where the first negative was
followed by a further positive specimen. The persistence of the infection is shown
by the fact that one case has had 23 specimens taken at weekly intervals, while
many others varied between 5 and 20. With regard to size of family, 19 households
totalling 138 persons provided 78 cases, the highest being one of twelve with
eleven cases, and one of eleven with nine cases. Children of school age provided
81 of the cases, and children under 5 years a further 35, while the age group
15-44 years added another 40.
The outbreak continued in to 1953 until April, by which time a total of
276 cases had occurred.
Measles.
Cases notified totalled 71, compared with 468 cases the previous year.
There were no deaths from this disease.
Whooping Cough.
Cases were notified throughout the year and totalled 127 compared with
107 cases in 1951.
Disinfection.
Verminous rooms disinfested 120
Rooms fumigated 68
Mattresses disinfected 75
Blankets disinfected 164
Pillows disinfected 125
Miscellaneous articles disinfected 139