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103
Area distribution was as follows :—East Greenwich 93 ; West
Greenwich 17; St. Nicholas, Deptford 7; Charlton and Kidbrooke
118.
Diphtheria.—One notification only was received in respect of
diphtheria and this was subsequently re-diagnosed as tonsillitis.
This is the second year since the introduction of compulsory
notification that a NIL return has been recorded, the previous year
being 1951.
While this affords reason for satisfaction to all who have
worked unremittingly to bring about the elimination of diphtheria
it must again be emphasised that there is an inherent danger in that
freedom from this disease may lead to apathy towards immunisation,
which, in turn, could give rise to a recrudescence.
Births in the Borough rose slightly this year but, contrary to
what one might have expected, the number of completed immunisations,
viz. 889, carried out during the current year indicates a fall
of 190 from that of 1952. This is a trend which would appear to
be general throughout the country and the Minister of Health has
shown some concern over the situation. In his Circular 8/53
inaugurating a special Diphtheria Publicity Campaign he states that
it cannot be said too often by Medical Officers of Health in their
Annual Reports and in public utterances that " diphtheria still
kills " and that elimination is conditional upon the maintenance of
an adequate level of immunisation, and a satisfactory level is only
to be secured by the persuading of each generation of new mothers
of the necessity of immunisation. Great as the effect may be of
advertisements, posters, cinema slides, etc., it is the sustained
effort of personal persuasion by doctors, health visitors, sanitary
inspectors and other welfare workers which is likely to prove most
successful.
Antitoxin.—Since January 1949 a small stock of Diphtheria
Antitoxin has been held at St. Alfege's Hospital for use by General
Practitioners in emergencies.
Acute Primaby Pneumonia and Acute Influenzal
Pneumonia.—There were 23 cases attributed to these causes as
compared with 29 and 18 for 1951 and 1952 respectively. Seven
occurred in East Greenwich ; 3 in West Greenwich ; 2 in St. Nicholas,
Deptford and 11 in Charlton and Kidbrooke. Three cases were
removed to hospital but there were no fatalities.
Typhoid Fever.—No confirmed case in respect of this disease
was received during the year.