View report page

Whooping Cough. There were 223 cases of Whooping
Cough during the year with a mortality of nil. While
this distressing condition does not carry a high mortality
it has long been recognised as one of the most important
contributions to ill-health and debility in childhood, particularly
among the less robust of the infant population, and its baleful
influence can be seen long after the actual attack. It is therefore
particularly disappointing that no preventive injection of unassailable
reliability like the Diphtheria injection has yet been
found to combat this disease.
Food Poisoning. There were 10 notifications of food poisoning
during the year, all of which were confined to families or
were single cases.
Four cases were from one family and it was not possible to
ascertain the actual foodstuff which was the cause of the outbreak.
Swabs were taken, but no Pathogenic organisms were isolated.
Two cases occurred in another family, and again it was not
possible to pin-point the cause. Swabs in these cases were unobtainable.
The other four cases were all single infections and in two of
them, the swabs were negative. In the third case, Salmonella
Typhi-Murium and Shotmulleri were isolated and the infection in
this case was attributed to a duck egg said to have been eaten two
days prior to onset.
In the fourth case, Salmonella Typhi- Murium was isolated
and the suspected food was whelks eaten at a seaside resort.
The Medical Officer of Health of that Local Authority was informed,
but enquiries there did not bring to light any further
cases.
Poliomyelitis. There were 9 cases of suspected Polimyelitis
during the year, 8 of which were notified as such. In three of
these the diagnosis was not confirmed. These three unconfirmed
cases were in adults. Of the six cases, five devoloped some
form of paralysis and one escaped altogether. Follow up of
all these patients recently to establish whether they were receiving
any treatment which might be necessary revealed the fact that only
two had any residual paralysis, and both were attending the St.
Helier Physiotherapy Department. There was one death among
these cases.
More details of these cases are shown in the table set out on
page 49.
Erysipelas. There were 10 notifications of Erysipelas during
the year, 8 of which involved the face. Four occurred in
males and six in females. Of the 10 cases notified, 6 were
treated at home and 4 received hospital treatment.
47