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A scheme drawn up by the London County Council after
consultation with borough medical officers of health comprehensively
outlines the administrative steps to be taken by the
respective authorities during epidemic periods, including the
arrangements made for hospital and home nursing treatment of
cases according to circumstances.
This "scheme of control" was put into operation at the commencement
of the epidemic, and continued in force until May of
the present year.
Measles Serum.
Protection from an attack of measles can be conferred by the
injection of serum obtained from convalescent patients up to the
fourth day of exposure.
Unfortunately the immunity thus conferred is only temporary.
Serum given between the fourth and eighth days of exposure
secures an attenuated attack free from complications. The few
medical practitioners who have made application for convalescent
measles serum were referred to Dr. Nabarro, Hospital for Sick
Children, Great Ormond Street, from whom a supply could be
obtained.
Adult serum is also claimed to provide a protection, and this
protection is stated to be only slightly inferior to that produced
by the injection of convalescent serum.
Diarrhoea and Enteritis.
Although outbreaks of severe diarrhoea in the warmer months
of the year among young infants are not so prevalent as they used
to be, nevertheless cases of acute intestinal diarrhoea frequently
ending in death occur throughout the year. The number of deaths
from this cause in children under 2 years of age in 1933 was 33.
Early medical and nursing care is essential in the treatment
of this disease, and every endeavour is made in all cases coming
to the knowledge of this department to secure for the patient the
necessary professional attention.
Nursing assistance is available for cases treated at home and
hospital treatment is also available in special hospitals provided
by the London County Council.
Influenza.
The outbreak of influenza which began in December 1932 and
continued throughout the first quarter of 1933 was fortunately of a
milder type than was first expected.
From the week ended January 7th to March 25th, 140 cases of
influenzal pneumonia were notified. The deaths directly attributed
to influenza throughout this period numbered 82 and for the whole
year 98.