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15
Infectious and Other Diseases.
There was a large increase in the number of notifications received
dluring 1957, as compared with 1956. Notifications to the number of
1.831 were received, which, compared with 910 received during the
Previous year, shows an increase of 921. This is accounted for mainly
by a rise in the incidence of measles, 274 cases being notified in 1956
against 1,402 in 1957, an increase of 1,128. To offset this increase,
dysentery notifications dropped from 157 in 1956, to 32 in 1957, being
a decrease of 125. Also whooping cough notifications declined from
178 to 118.
No major outbreaks of dysentery occurred during 1957. In the
latter part of the year there was a slight outbreak in one of the Day
Nurseries in the Borough, but this was quickly contained and of a
short duration.
One case of enteric (typhoid) fever was notified. A member of
the crew of a ship that visited West African ports was taken ill on his
arrival home and removed immediately to hospital, where he was
diagnosed as suffering from this disease.
There was again no case of diphtheria notified, the last case
occurring in 1953.
Eleven cases of poliomyelitis were notified during the year, but in
2 of these the diagnosis was not confirmed, leaving 9 confirmed
cases (3 paralytic and 6 non-paralytic). The death of an adult male
was recorded as due to this disease. There were 29 cases during the
Previous year, 1956, with one of these cases proving fatal.
Diphtheria and Whooping Cough Immunisation,
Smallpox and Poliomyelitis Vaccination.
. Diphtheria and whooping cough immunisation and vaccination
against smallpox and poliomyelitis were carried out during the year
under the control of the London County Council.