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SECTION E
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS DISEASE
The total number of notifications of Infectious disease during
1953 was 1,229 as compared with 1,080 In 1952. The Increase was
mainly due to the larger number of cases of measles and whooping
cough and these two diseases accounted for more than 75% of all
notifications.
There were no cases of Diphtheria during the year and this happy
result Is undoubtedly due to the very successful immunisation programme
which has been carried on during the past 12 years. There is a danger
that the absence of cases of diphtheria not only in the Borough but
throughout the County may make the need for Immunisation against
diphtheria less apparent in the public eye but the risk still remains
and the Council has maintained its propaganda. This is done In
conjunction with the London County Council, the greater proportion of
actual Immunisation being done by officers of the County Council In
welfare centres and schools. Details of immunisation carried out are
given in Section F of this report.
Three cases of suspected poliomyelitis were notified during the
year but fortunately only in one Case was the diagnosis confirmed.
No cases of smallpox were notified during the year. In any outbreak
of smallpox the staff of the Public Health Department Is more
likely to be exposed to the infection than any other group of persons
and during the year as a preventive measure all the sanitary inspectors
and the staff of the disinfecting station were vaccinated or
vaccinated.
There was an Increase in the number of cases of dysentery notified
during the year. In all cases which were confirmed bacteriologically,
the disease was Sonne Dysentery which is generally only a serious
disease in very young children. A number of cases did occur both in
schools and in day nurseries. None of the cases were of a serious
nature but a number of persons, both children and adults, were found
who were excreting the causal organism although they were apparently
ensuring the exclusion of these persons until they were shown
bacteriologically to be free from infection. In the majority of
cases children are admitted to the day nurseries because it is necessary
for the mother to go out to work and It Is perhaps asking a good deal
these mothers to expect them willingly to stay off work to look
after children who are apparently in good health. The active coderation
of the officers of the County Council assisted materially
in controlling these outbreaks of sonne dysentery.