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78
In accordance with the Antitoxin Order, 1910, a supply of
Diphtheria Antitoxin is provided by the Council for the use of
general practitioners in emergency cases. Thirteen tubes of Antitoxin,
containing a total of 130,000 units of serum, have been
supplied during the year.
As in previous years many enquiries from parents were received
asking if their children could be protected from Diphtheria. They
were reluctantly referred to other Boroughs where facilities for
immunisation existed.
There were 3 fatalities due to Diphtheria which gives a case
mortality of 0.7 per cent.
Two thousand one hundred and twenty-seven specimens were
forwarded by medical practitioners for bacteriological examination
from cases suspected to be diphtheria. Of this number, 1,769 were
reported to give negative or doubtful results, and 358 were positive
in character, being dealt with accordingly.
Measles.—Seventy-two cases of Measles were notified during
the year as compared with 1,455 for the previous year ; 39 cases
occurred in East Greenwich, 18 in West Greenwich, 3 in St. Nicholas,
and 12 in Charlton and Kidbrooke.
Eight such cases were removed to Hospital.
Although the year 1935 covered the period regarded as nonepidemic
it is interesting to note that the incidence of the disease
was lower than in any period since the inception of the Council,
and there were no deaths.
Zymotic Enteritis or Epidemic Diarrhoea.—Forty-two
cases were notified throughout the whole of the Borough, twentyfive
being under one year of age and seventeen 1 to 5. Thirteen
of such notifications related to pationts in East Greenwich, thirteen
in West Greenwich, 10 in St. Nicholas, Deptford, and six in Charlton
and Kidbrooke. There were fourtoen deaths ascribed to Diarrhoea
and Enteritis.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—During the year seven cases of
this disease had been notified compared with ten in the previous
year. Two occurred in East Greenwich, three in West Greenwich,
and two in Charlton and Kidbrooke. Only one case was removed
to hospital for treatment.
Scarlet Fever.—The number of notifications of this disease
received during the year was 301 as compared with 627 and 671
for the years 1934 and 1933. The cases were of a mild type and
call for no special comment.