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31
Small-pox.
No case of small-pox occurred in Hampstead during the year.
In the early part of the year cases of small-pox occurred in the
County, and, in view of the fact that mild forms of this disease are
liable to be mistaken for chicken-pox, the County Council informed the
Borough Council on 23rd March that they had made an Order, as a
"case of emergency, requiring the notification of cases of chicken-pox
up to 30th June. The Local Government Beard also communicated
with the Council urging the great importance of adequate and immediate
steps being taken to deal with the outbreak. The Borough
Council authorised the Medical Officer of Health, under the Public
Health (Small-pox Prevention) Regulations, 1917, to vaccinate or
re-vaccinate contacts.
Vaccination.
Of the births recorded 507 were successfully vaccinated. In 8
cases the children were insusceptible of vaccination. In regard to 142
Certificates of Conscientious Objection were obtained ; 33 died before
vaccination was performed; 23 cases of vaccination were postponed
and 86 remained to be dealt with.
I am indebted to the Vaccination Officer for these statistics.
Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.
The number of cases notified in 1918 was 109, as compared with
131 in 1917. The attack rate, or number of cases notified per 1,000 of
the population was 1.52 compared with the rate of 1.73 in the previous
year.
The number of cases notified proving fatal was 7, or 6.4 per cent.
of the cases notified, as against 3 per cent. 1917. 102 patients, or 93
per cent. of the cases notified were removed to hospital.
In accordance with the Diphtheria Anti-toxin (London) Order,
1910, the Borough Council supply anti-toxin free to medical practitioners
for use for the poorer inhabitants of the Borough.
Erysipelas.
28 cases were notified, and no death occurred, as compared with
27 cases in 1917, none of which proved fatal. The attack rate per 1000
of the population was 0.39, as compared with the rate of 0.35 in 1917.
Of the cases notified, 26 or 98 per cent were removed to the Workhouse
Infirmary or Nursing Homes.