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145
which certifies that the signature of the Vaccinator is that of a
practising medical practitioner.
During the year some 437 certificates of persons proceeding
abroad were so authenticated, of these 371 were in respect of Smallpox,
46 for Cholera and 20 for Typhoid. One vaccination was
carried out by your Medical Officer of Health.
Measles.—Although the normal biennial fluctuation was
absent during 1960, it was merely delayed, for some 1,820 cases
were notified in the early part of the current year.
Of the figure of 1,820, 864 were males and 956 were females
and the total indicates an increase of 1,773 over that of the previous
year. Only 18 cases occurred over the age of 15 years the most
affected being the 5 to 10 years age group in which 827 notifications
were registered.
Twenty-eight cases were removed to hospital but there were no
deaths recorded.
The distribution of the cases was as follows:—East Greenwich
320; West Greenwich 563; St. Nicholas, Deptford 113, Charlton and
Kidbrooke 824.
During 1959 there were 637 cases, in 1958 there were 306 and
during 1957 1,194 cases were recorded. In 1956 there were 44.
Whooping Cough.—Altogether 26 notifications were received
in 1961, a decrease of 142 from those of the previous year. The
years 1959 and 1958 produced 34 and 55 respectively whilst there
were 97 registered for 1957.
Area distribution for the current period was :—East Greenwich
6; West Greenwich 5; St. Nicholas, Deptford 3; Charlton and
Kidbrooke 12.
Six cases were admitted to hospital and there were no fatalities.
With regard to children under 5 years, one was immunised
against whooping cough while 8 other children received a combined
antigen (whooping cough and diphtheria) and a further 701
received a triple antigen (whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus)
giving a final total of 710 whooping cough immunisations carried
out during the year by the County Council. This is a decrease of
610 from the total for the previous year.
Diphtheria.—No notifications were received for the current
year, a result similar to that for the previous year and for the years
1959. 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.