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All known contacts were traced and where necessary Medical Officers of Health of
the areas concerned were informed. Those contacts in this borough were kept under
observation in addition to submitting specimens, the results of which were negative.
Tuberculosis
During the year 83 new cases of tuberculosis were notified of which 70 were
respiratory and 13 were non-respiratory and 15 other cases of persons moving into this
borough were reported, mainly by other borough councils.
In addition to the 83 new cases on the register, there were those who were removed
from the register because they had moved out of the borough, died, been cured or moved
without trace, and the final figures in the register at the end of the year were as follows:—
Respiratory Non-respiratory
Male Female Male Female
339 158 27 32
Total
556
Every effort has been made by health visitors to visit all newly notified cases (and
those transferred to or changing address in the borough) with the object of tracing the
source, preventing the spread and removing the conditions favourable to infection.
Particular attention was given to the home conditions in addition to the dissemination of
advice to prevent the transmission of infection to contacts.
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES
In order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, certain countries require that
visitors should be vaccinated or inoculated against specific diseases.
International certificates have been prescribed for smallpox and cholera. When
completed by a medical practitioner, the certificate must be authenticated by the Medical
Officer of Health.
During the year 13,140 of these certificates were authenticated. In addition 3 special
certificates were issued to travellers who refused vaccination on medical or religious
grounds.
Smallpox
Information was received during the year from port authorities of 235 persons
intending to stay in the borough who could not produce valid certificates of vaccination
after leaving countries which were declared local infected endemic areas. Of these 114 were
kept under observation for the surveillance period and remained quite well and 10 were
found to have moved to other areas of which the Medical Officers of Health were notified.
The remaining 121 persons could not be traced at the addresses given by the port
authorities.