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Cerebro-Spinal Fever.—Seven cases were notified during the
year as compared with 5 cases for the previous year. In 1 case the
diagnosis was not confirmed. There were 2 deaths.
Acute Anterior Polio-myelitis.—Of 28 cases under suspicion
16 were confirmed and there were 2 deaths. The table attached
shows the age and month distribution of the outbreak and gives a
key to the district of origin as shown on the accompanying outline
map of the Borough.
The incidence was mainly in July and August and in the lower
part of Greenwich.
Before the disease appeared locally cases were occurring elsewhere and General Practitioners and others including Health Visitors
and Sanitary Inspectors were on the alert.
It was not considered necessary to exercise any drastic powers
locally, though in some places where the incidence was heavier,
swimming baths and nursery schools etc. were closed.
Much has been said and written about this disease and its
possible modes of spread and some of the facts are of more than
academic interest.
It is remarkable that the occurrence of more than one case in
a household is a rarity and in the small series under review no two
occurred even in the same street.
At the same time it is known that the virus is secreted in the
stools and may be found in crude sewage. Therefore, it is only
reasonable to assume that methods of control which would be applied
to Dysentery and Typhoid should be applied here. In addition on
this occasion it was a 'Summer disease' and intestinal disturbance
was associated with some cases. It follows that contact food
handlers, methods of food protection, and kitchen hygiene and fly
control should receive attention. Dust as a possible vehicle of spread
should also be remembered.
It is not claimed that the Council's Anti-Fly Campaign influenced the incidence locally but in the light of present knowlecge
it must have helped in reducing one possible mode of spread.
Tuberculosis.—In the year under review, there were 134
cases notified in the Borough as compared with 111 for the previous
year. Of this number 122 were of the pulmonary type, ordinarily
known as consumption, and 12 were non-pulmonary cases, i.e.,
Tuberculosis of other parts of the body than the lungs. Of this
number 37 pulmonary and 3 non-pulmonary occurred in East
Greenwich, 25 pulmonary and 1 non-pulmonary in West Greenwich,
9 pulmonary and 1 non-pulmonary in St. Nicholas, Deptford, and 51
pulmonary and 7 non-pulmonary in Charlton and Kidbrooke.
Four hundred and sixty-one specimens were forwarded by