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PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
During the year under review, 2,107 notifications of infectious
diseases (excluding tuberculosis) were received at the
Public Health Department. Fifty-seven of the notified cases
were found not to be suffering from the disease stated on the
certificate.
Diphtheria.
As there is no doubt of the great value of inoculation
for the prevention of diphtheria, an active campaign to
encourage immunisation should at all times be waged and no
opportunity should be lost in drawing the attention of the public
to the danger of leaving their children unprotected.
Of the 32 cases notified during the year, an amended diagnosis
was made in 19 instances, thus reducing the number of confirmed
cases to 13 as against 15 in 1948.
A small outbreak involving 6 cases occurred in an L.C.C.
school at the end of the year. Swabbing of all contacts was
considered to be advisable. Five of these cases had never been
immunised and one had received immunisation treatment about
five years previously, but had not received a reinforcing injection
after entering school. One of the unprotected patients died.
Scarlet Fever.
The number of cases notified was 348, of which 8 were
subsequently not confirmed. Sixty-two of the patients were
removed to hospital for treatment; there were no deaths.
Scarlet fever, like all streptococcal diseases is diminishing
in virulence and the type of scarlet fever now prevailing continues
to be mild in character. It is extremely rare to discover
a patient with the septic type of fever. The majority of cases
without complications were nursed at home.
The adoption of penicillin treatment has greatly reduced the
length of time necessary for cases to be isolated at home or
detained in hospital.