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The outbreak was limited to the two children and
investigations failed to reveal the source of infection.
Single cases
In addition to the two cases referred to above, there
were eighteen single cases of food poisoning notified. In
ten of these no agent was identified, but the remaining
eight oases were found to be caused by salmonella typhi-murium.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Smallpox
No case of smallpox was notified in the Borough during
the year 1952. Many persons came to Kensington from places
abroad who were reported to have been in contact with smallpox.
All contacts were kept under surveillance until the possibility
of developing the disease had disappeared.
In the Ministry of Health's Memorandum on Vaccination
against smallpox, it is recommended that public health officers,
likely to have to deal with cases of smallpox at short notice,
should be regularly re-vaccinated at not more than yearly
intervals. During the year thirty-one members of the staff
of the Public Health Department were vaccinated or re-vaccinated
by the Medical Officer of Health.
Scarlet fever
The number of cases notified in 1952 was 108 and,
of this total, 33 were treated in hospital. There was no
fatal case during the year, in fact there has been no death
from scarlet fever in Kensington since 1940.
Diphtheria
No case of diphtheria was reported in Kensington during
1952. This is the first year on record when there has been
complete absence of this disease in the Borough.
Diphtheria immunisation work, commenced by the Council
in 1934, was continued by the London County Council during
the year. A summary of the work carried out in Kensington
is as follows
Number of pre-school children immunised 1,199
" " school " " 640
" " re-inforcing injections given 1,341
" " children attending for pre-Schick
tests 375
" which gave a positive reaction 301
" of children attending for post-
Schick tests 1,050
" proving negative 803
" proving positive 24
" who failed to attend for reading 223
Enteric fever
One case of typhoid fever and one case of paratyphoid
B. fever were notified during year. Both cases
recovered after treatment in hospital. Investigations made
revealed that the infections had been contracted abroad.