View report page

58
MEASLES.
Three hundred and eighty-five cases were notified in the
Borough during 1952, as against one thousand three hundred and
eighty-one during 1951, giving an attack rate of 6.0 per 1,000
total population.
Four of these cases were admitted to hospital and the remainder
were home nursed, being of mild virulence.
Two hundred and ninety of these cases were notified during
December.
The distribution of the cases was fairly even throughout the
Borough.
Should measles become of a more virulent type, much
general damage to health of the young child can result—at
present we merely accept the notifications as there is no staff
to carry out home visitation for advice and protection of other
young children.
WHOOPING COUGH.
One hundred and sixty cases were notified, as against four
hundred and forty-four during 1951, giving an attack rate of 2.5
per 1,000 total population.
Two cases were removed to hospital and the remainder home
nursed.
There were no deaths in the area from this disease.
Whooping cough vaccine is undergoing experimental tests.
It may well be, in a year or so, that whooping cough as an
epidemic disease will be controlled much as diphtheria has been
controlled.