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16
Infectious and Other Diseases.
During the year, 558 notifications were received, which, when
compared with 1,187 cases in 1959, shows a decrease of 629. This
figure is the lowest ever recorded in Battersea. The decrease was
mainly due to the comparatively small number of measles and dysentery
cases notified, 186 and 68 in 1960, compared with 702 and 167 respectively
in 1959. This shows a decrease of 516 measles and 99 dysentery cases.
Two cases of typhoid occurred within the Borough during the year.
In the first case, it is thought that the patient, a 39-year-old labourer,
contracted the disease whilst he was working in a sewer outside the
Borough. This case proved fatal. The second case occurred in an
11-years-old boy, and it would appear that he contracted the disease
whilst on holiday in Italy. He was admitted to hospital for treatment
and all specimens taken from him since have been negative.
There were also five cases of para-typhoid notified during 1960,
and a further case was revealed by investigation. These cases lived
within a very small area of the Borough, three cases occurring in one
family, but even after extensive enquiries the source of infection was
not discovered. It is of interest to note that the strain of salmonella
para-typhi 'B' isolated from five of the cases was of a completely new
type, and has now been named "Battersea" by the Colindale Enteric
Reference Laboratory. In one case, that of a 61-year-old woman, it
proved fatal. A total of 59 specimens was taken in connection with this
disease.
Only one case of Poliomyelitis occurred in 1960, and this was &
a girl aged 4. She had been vaccinated against the disease. Paralysis
affected the right arm only.
No cases of diphtheria occurred within the Borough during 1960.
No cases of smallpox occurred during the year, but a confirmed
case residing outside the Borough sent his soiled linen to a Battersea
laundry on the same day as the diagnosis was made. Vaccination was
immediately offered to all the laundry employees, and 112 of them took
advantage of this protection, and a further 5 were vaccinated by
own doctors. Only one person refused vaccination altogether. A daily
visit was made to the laundry and any absentees were visited in their
homes.
There were also five direct contacts living in Battersea, and here
again vaccination was offered to them, which they accepted. All the
contacts were visited daily, and it was found necessary to exclude three
of them from work.
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1959, Section 26.
This section is concerned with the prevention of the spread
notifiable infectious diseases, and the diseases to which section 23 of the
Food and Drugs Act, 1955, applies.
It authorises a Metropolitan Borough Council, if they think fit,
to compensate a person who is required by the Medical Officer of Health
to cease his or her employment to prevent the spread of the disese.
The Health Committee decided that compensation to be paid should
be based on the merits of each case reported.
Two cases were dealt with during the year.