View report page

77
Smallpox
No case of smallpox has occurred since the war. A few persons
resident in the Borough who had been in possible contact elsewhere
were placed under surveillance in 1950 and 1951 during the incubation
period and in 1955 3 persons who had been on board the s.s. Chusan'
on which a case had occurred.
Enteric (Typhoid) Fever
In 1950 there was a localised outbreak of 10 cases all from one
house: some of the cases were severe but there was eventual recovery
in all. They were treated in the South Eastern Hospital; the severe
cases receiving chloramphenicol which was introduced for use in this
country in that year. Full investigations were conducted but the
source of the infection was never traced.
Apart from this incident and the development of the disease in
one child who was clearly infected whilst on holiday in Italy also in
1950, and the occurrence of a case in another area attending a
Finsbury School in 1952, there have been no cases, carriers or contacts
discovered in the Borough since the war.
Enteric (Paratyphoid) Fever
There have been only occasional cases since the war and the only
ones in the last five years were 2 boys in 1954 resident in another
Borough attending a Finsbury School and a baby in 1955 admitted to
hospital in the first place as a case of measles. All the infections
were of Paratyphoid 'B' type and the cases and contacts were fully
investigated.
Also in 1955 one man who had been in contact with a case in hospital
and 10 children who had been in similar contact in a holiday
camp were placed under surveillance, otherwise no contacts or carriers
have been known in the last five years.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
There have been no serious cases of ophthalmia neonatorum since
the war. A few cases have been notified each year, and these have
fully recovered.
In 1955 2 such cases were notified but one referred to a case in
a Finsbury hospital coming from another area, the condition itself not
having arisen in this Borough. No information was received as to the
notification of any case developing in this Borough from a hospital in
another area.