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and/or eating food cannot be too strongly emphasised. It
is imperative also that food should be properly stored in
a cool larder or refrigerator and protected from contamin.
ation. During the summer months flies act as a transmitting
agent.
During 1960, 276 notifications of bacillary dysentery
were received at the Public Health Department, although
117 of these were not bacteriologically confirmed. In the
previous year the notifications numbered less than half
of those in 1960.
Poliomyelitis
It is pleasing to record that only one case of poliomyelitis
(in a female child of 5 years) occurred during
the year. Notifications during the preceding five years
numbered 4, 10, 16, 11 and 25 respectively, It is too much
to hope that the introduction of vaccination and its increased
availability have in such a short period removed the
menace of this disease, for cases have occurred in considerable
numbers in other parts of the country. The value of
this new weapon cannot, however, be overrated, and the
public are urged to continue to take the fullest advantage
of it in protecting themselves and their families. A vaccine
which can be taken by the mouth is now being perfected,
and may become available in the near future in those areas
in which poliomyelitis becomes prevalent.
Venereal Disease
There has been a progressive increase since 1950 in
the number of patients attending out-patients clinics in
London for the treatment of gonorrhoea - 6,800 in 1950 and
14,000 in 1959; it is expected that a further increase will
have occurred in 1960. During the same period, however,
cases of syphilis fell from 1,900 to 1,300.
It is not easy to estimate the prevalence of venereal
disease (which is not notifiable) in the Borough, but returns
kindly furnished by three Venereal Diseases Departments of
Hospitals which serve the area indicate that the incidence
of gonorrhoea and other venereal conditions is considerable,
and that West Indian immigrants form a very high percentage
of new cases.