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38
In December, upon the suggestion of the Local
Government Board, I submitted to you the following
report in reference to the six cases of polio.myelitis
treated at the West London Hospital:—
Gentlemen,—In accordance with the suggestion of the
Local Government Board, I beg to submit a report on the six
cases of acute polio.myelitis, notified during the week end of
the 16th October, to which the Board has called attention,
The notifications in reference to these cases were received
four on the 14th October and two on the 16th October, The
whole of the six cases were receiving treatment at the West
London Hospital at the time of notification, It will be clearly
seen from the appended table that in all the cases a considerable
time elapsed between the date of onset and the date of
notification, in one case as long as 10 weeks,
Acute polio.myelitis, or infantile paralysis, is an acute
disease of sudden onset, and is not always diagnosed in its
early stages, It is only when the resultant paralysis occurs
that the true nature of the disease becomes known, It is usually
on account of the latter condition, and some time after the
onset, that the child is taken to a doctor, and the condition
diagnosed,
With regard to these particular six cases, although notified
in one week, their onset was spread over a period of two
months, August 1st, 1915, to October 1st, 1915, and in two
cases a considerable time elapsed before medical advice was
sought, (August 1st, 1915, to September 4th, 1915; August
30th, 1915, to 25th September, 1915,)
The following table shows at a glance the dates of onset
and the subsequent dates of the notification, &c, :—

* This case was notified as being resident at 3, S,S,, the correct address
being obtained on October 24th, 1915,