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131
Area distribution for the current period was:—East Greenwich
48; West Greenwich 50; St. Nicholas, Deptford 8; Charlton
and Kidbrooke 62.
Eighteen cases were admitted to hospital and there were no
fatalities.
With regard to children under 5 years, 2 were immunised
against whooping cough while 68 other children received a combined
antigen (whooping cough and diphtheria) and a further 1,250
received a triple antigen (whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus)
giving a final total of 1,320 whooping cough immunisations carried
out during the year by the County Council.
Diphtheria.—One notification received was not confirmed so
there was a nil return recorded for the current year, a result similar
to that for the previous year and for the years 1958, 1957 and 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 52, the figure for the current year. Over
the same period deaths have decreased from 722 to 5.
Diphtheria immunisation is a County Council service and
during the year there were 1,482 completed immunisations carried
out in the Borough, an increase of 589 over that of the previous
year. Most diphtheria immunisations given formed part of combined
antigen therapy.
Antitoxin.—Since January, 1949, arrangements have been made
for a small stock of diphtheria antitoxin to be held at St. Alfege's
Hospital for use by general practitioners in emergencies.
Acute Primary Pneumonia and Acute Influenzal Pneumonia.—There
were 12 cases attributed to these causes, as compared
with 20 for 1959, 42 for 1958, 28 for 1957 and 14 for each
of the years 1956 and 1955. Two occurred in East Greenwich, one
in West Greenwich, 1 in St. Nicholas, Deptford, and 8 in Charlton
and Kidbrooke.
Not one case was removed to hospital and there were no deaths.
Typhoid.—No cases of typhoid fever were notified during the
year compared with a nil return for 1959, one for 1958, two for
1957 and one for 1956.
Scarlet Fever.—A total of 44 confirmed cases for the year
shows a decrease of 24 from 1959 compared with 106 notifications
for 1958, 102 for 1957, 58 for 1956 and 57 for 1955. Eleven
occurred in East Greenwich, 10 in West Greenwich, 2 in St.
Nicholas, Deptford, and 21 in Charlton and Kidbrooke.