View report page

173
Inevitably, perhaps, many of these measures by their very own
success have produced a sense of false security in that there is
now growing up a generation of parents with no knowledge of the
disfiguring consequences of smallpox or the devastating effects of
diphtheria. Moreover, despite the control which has been gained
over bacterial infections by the almost unbelievable advances in
pharmocology, several disturbing features are threatening to mar
the apparent bright future. There is the development of resistant
haemolytic streptococcal infections in hospital and maternity
homes—an increase in venereal disease, especially among the
younger age groups—a rise in the incidence of leukaemia and an
accentuation in certain areas of the tuberculosis problem by immigrants
and the introduction by them of unfamiliar complaints and
helminthic infections.
Whatever success has been achieved in environmental health
has been through dedication, education and "toil, sweat and tears"
and it would be nothing short of criminal to allow complacency
and apathy to whittle away such outstanding progress gained with
such great efforts.
Legislation.—During the current year no legislationing
infectious diseases was enacted.
The total number of Infectious Diseases notified under Section
144 of the Public Health Act, 1936, Section 192 of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1936, and associated Orders and Regulations
was 426. Under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations,
1952, there were 41 notifications, giving a consolidated total of
467 cases notified during the year. The following table indicates
the figures for the previous ten years :—