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give rise to a false sense of security. It is still of the utmost
importance to ensure that the highest possible proportion of the
child population is protected against diphtheria and parents
should be constantly reminded that it is their duty to their
children to take advantage of the immunisation facilties provided
by local health authorities.
Poliomyelitis and Polio-encephalitis.
There was an increase in the number of confirmed cases of
this disease during the year —20 as compared with five in 1952
—the highest figure reached since the epidemics of 1947 and
1949.

Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever.
Two notifications of typhoid and one of paratyphoid fever
were received during the year. In one case of typhoid it was
discovered that the patient had been on holiday in Italy, where the
disease was probably contracted, and in the other instance, the
patient was subsequently found not to be suffering from the
disease notified. All efforts to trace the source of infection in
the paratyphoid case were unsuccessful.
Smallpox.
No case of this disease occurred in the Borough during the
year, although small outbreaks occurred in Yorkshire and
Lancashire and it was necessary to keep two Camberwell contacts
under surveillance.
Four persons who proceeded to addresses in Camberwell on
disembarking from a ship from India in which a case of smallpox
had occurred were also visited daily by the district Sanitary
Inspectors until all danger of contracting the disease had passed.
Diarrhoea and Enteritis.
An outbreak of enteritis, mild in character, occurred in a
Nuns' Home in the Borough. Forty of the 60 persons in the
Home were affected. Investigations led to the conclusion that
the cause of the outbreak was probably due to a " carrier"