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No cases of encephalitis lethargica were notified.
Measles.
2280 cases were notified in 1950 (2255 confirmed), but a total of 2515 cases came to the notice of the
health visitors, 1478 in children under 5 years of age. There was 1 death from measles in a child under
year of age.
Whooping Cough
650 cases were notified in 1950 (648 confirmed), but a total of 818 came to the notice of the health
visitors, 414 in children under the age of 5 years. There were 2 deaths from whooping cough in children
under 1 year of age.
Pneumonia and Influenza,
164 cases of pneumonia were notified in 1950 (150 confirmed). There were 87 deaths from bronchopneumonia,
lobar pneumonia and pneumonia (unspecified), and 13 deaths from influenza.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
3 cases were notified in 1950, a case rate of 1.10 per 1000 registered live births. There was complete
recovery with unimpaired vision in all 3 cases.
Puerperal Pyrexia.
30 cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified during the year (28 confirmed).
Food Poisoning.
24 cases of food poisoning were notified during the year (12 confirmed).
Tuberculosis.
The death rate from tuberculosis has been more than halved in the post-war period, but the case rate
has shown an increase; the reduction in the case rate in 1949 was not continued in 1950. The numbers on the
register have also more than doubled (see Table 1).
It is unlikely that the increase is entirely due to the better detection of cases, since the percentage who
were notified more than a year before death is still less than 50 per cent.; and 16 per cent. were not notified
at death.
The probability is that while there has been a decrease in the number of deaths, largely due to improved
treatment at home together with the use of chemotherapy, there has been an actual increase in the number of
cases. The Annual Report of 1949 indicates that this increase is probably due to the present conditions of
overcrowding in the borough.