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Contacts of all cases notified were kept under surveillance
for twenty-one days, (or until the diagnosis was changed in unconfirmed
cases.) There were twenty-six suspected cases removed to hospital, where
the diagnosis was not confirmed. In each instance an advisory pamphlet
was issued setting out the elementary precautions to be taken. Kensington
residents, who were contacts of cases occurring outside the borough, were
also kept under observation.
The age incidence of the Kensington cases this year illustrates
the inadequacy of the term "infantile paralysis" formerly used to describe
this disease. Three out of the four cases were adults aged 45i 31 and 26
years respectively; the remaining patient was 2 years of age. In two of
the cases, the disease was clearly contracted abroad.
Although the number of cases in 1958 was the lowest since 1946,
it is too early to assess whether or not this was entirely due to the
programme of vaccination against poliomyelitis. During the year, the
Medical Research Council restarted its investigation of the possible association
between poliomyelitis and inoculation against other diseases and incorporated
with it, enquiries relating to poliomyelitis vaccination. The Public Health
Department continued to supply information to the Medical Research Council
on these aspects of Kensington cases, and to keep the London County Council
informed on the incidence of the disease in Kensington. None of the
cases occurring this year had been vaccinated against the disease.
Acute encephalitis
One case of this disease was notified in the borough during 1958;
the patient recovered after treatment in hospital.
Measles
Of the six hundred and fifty-four cases notified during 1958,
eighteen were admitted to hospital for treatment. No death occurred
during the year.
Ophthalmia neonatorum
Five cases of this disease were notified, two of which were treated
in hospital. All recovered without injury to sight.
Gastro-enteritis
This disease is notifiable in children up to the age of five
years. The number of cases reported during the year was thirteen. Pour
were removed to hospital for treatment. Ten deaths of children under
five years of age were recorded as due to gastritis, enteritis or
diarrhoea.
Scabies
The number of cases of scabies notified during 1958 was
fifty-two, which compares with four hundred and sixty-three notified in
the peak year of 1946.
Tuberculosis
During the year one hundred and seventy-nine new cases of tuberculosis