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56
During 1964, 124 notifications were received from port health
authorities, and all persons involved were contacted once every other day
during the period of surveillance.
No case of smallpox was notified in the borough during 1964.
The Ministry of Health's memorandum on vaccination against
smallpox recommends that public health officers likely to have to deal with
cases of smallpox at short notice should be regularly revaccinated at not
more than yearly intervals. During the year, thirty-seven members of the
staff of the Public Health Department were vaccinated or revaccinated by the
Medical Officer of Health.
Scarlet Fever
The number of cases notified in 1964 was fourteen. There was no
fatal case during the year.
Diphtheria
No case of diphtheria was notified during the year.
Enteric Fever
During the year, five cases of paratyphoid fever and two cases of
typhoid fever were notified.
The first case of paratyphoid fever was a 22-year old Pakistani who
arrived in this country, via Germany, on 13th December, 1963. He felt unwell
on the l6th and was admitted to hospital on 24th December; faeces specimens
taken proved positive. He discharged himself from hospital on 3rd January,
and returned to Pakistan by air on 5th January, 1964.
Three other cases were females (unknown, to each other) aged 19,
22 and 26 years old, who were admitted to hospital between 8th and 10th
June, 1964. All lived near to South Kensington Station, but the only
connection between any of the cases was that two of them had eaten food at
the same restaurant. Enquiries at the restaurant showed that only fresh
cream, milk and meat were used. The staff (22) of the restaurant submitted
faeces and urine specimens, all of which proved negative.
The fifth case of paratyphoid fever was a 15-year old girl who
arrived from France on 18th Augusts, 1964, and was admitted to hospital on
the same day. She had a history of "fever" for four days prior to
admission to hospital. She was found to be a "carrier" of the disease. She
was discharged from hospital on 9th September and returned to Belgium and
was advised that further treatment was necessary,, A letter to this effect
was given to the patient and a further letter was sent to her father in
Belgium advising that she should contact her own doctor.
The first case of typhoid fever was a child aged 2¾ years who
was admitted to hospital. All contacts submitted faeces and urine
specimens which proved negative. Blood specimens submitted by the mother
(who stated that she had had typhoid in the 1940's and received no treatment)
and a cousin, who had previously been in hospital with a high temperature of
unknown origin, were negative. As there was a possibility that the child
may have been infected by grandparents who had returned to Germany, the
German authorities were officially requested to arrange for specimens to be
submitted. It was reported that all specimens were negative.
The second case of typhoid fever was a 19-year old female who
was admitted to hospital, having just returned from Beirut where she had
been residing for the previous twenty-one months. She complained of high
temperature, backache and vomiting, and stated that she had received
treatment for "paratyphoid". No contacts were involved.