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107
Measles.—The normal biennial fluctuation was evident in the
sharp increase in the number of notified cases from a figure of 44
confirmed in 1956 to 1,194 for the current year of which 630 were
males and 564 females.
Forty-two cases occurred in children under one year of age,
1,123 between 1 and 10 years, 23 between 10 and 15 years and 6 over
15 years.
Fifteen cases were removed to hospital and there were 2 deaths.
One concerned a child of 1¾ years and the other an acting Sub/Lieut,
of 21 years who contracted the disease whilst on an instructional
course at the Royal Naval College, was removed to the Royal Naval
Hospital at Gillingham where he subsequently died. No notification
in respect of this latter death was received.
The distribution of the cases was as follows:—East Greenwich
440 ; West Greenwich 123; St. Nicholas, Deptford 43 ; Charlton
and Kidbrooke 588.
During 1955, 1,684 cases were recorded and in 1954 there were
28.
Whooping Cough.—Altogether 97 notifications were received
in 1957, a decrease of 25 from the previous year. The year 1955
produced 165 and there were 223 for 1954.
Area distribution for the current period was:—East Greenwich
33; West Greenwich 28; St. Nicholas, Deptford, 9; Charlton and
Kidbrooke 27.
Four cases were admitted to hospital and there were no fatalities.
During the year, 1,127 children under 5 years were immunised
against Whooping Cough at the County Council's clinics.
Diphtheria.—There was a Nil return recorded for the current
year, a result similar to that for 1956.
One case was confirmed in each of the years 1955 and 1954;
there was none in 1953 ; 4 in 1952 ; and a nil return was recorded for
1951.
Since 1945, diphtheria notifications for England and Wales
have fallen from 18,596 to 40, the figure for the current year. Over
the same period deaths have decreased from 722 to 6.
Diphtheria immunisation is a County Council service and during
the year there were 1,256 completed immunisations carried out in the
Borough an increase of 449 over that of the previous year.