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177
Whooping Cough.—Altogether 33 notifications were received
in 1964, a decrease of 2 from those of the previous year. The
years 1962, 1961, 1960, 1959 and 1958 produced 13, 26, 168, 34
and 55 respectively whilst there were 97 registered for 1957.
No cases were admitted to hospital and there were no deaths.
With regard to children under 5 years, 7 completed whooping
cough immunisation, 20 received a combined antigen (whooping
cough and diphtheria) and a further 1,441 received a triple antigen
(whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus) giving a final total of
1,468 whooping cough immunisations carried out during the year
by the County Council. This is an increase of 273 over the total
for the previous year.
Only since 1st June, 1912, has whooping cough been notifiable,
a measure which seemed to have had the desired beneficial effect
for, since 1910 when there were 56 deaths recorded, control of
this disease has been more effective and that total has never been
surpassed. Today, a death from this cause is rare. Notifications
received were at their highest in 1925 when there were 655.
Diphtheria.—No notifications were received for the current
year, a result similar to that for each of the 8 previous years.
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
In 1901, the number of notifications received was 183 and
this figure rose to its highest level in 1922 with a total of 707
notifications and 42 associated deaths. Since that time, notifications
and deaths have progressively declined and today's favourable
position is, without doubt, due to the diphtheria immunisation
scheme introduced during the latter half of 1936.
Diphtheria immunisation is now a County Council service and
during the year there were 1,639 completed immunisations carried
out in the Borough, an increase of 320 over that of the previous
year. Most diphtheria immunisations given formed part of combined
antigen therapy. Some 928 "boosters" of triple antigen were
also given during 1964.
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.—No
cases of pneumonia were registered during the year as
compared with a figure of 8 for last year and 5 for each of the
years 1962 and 1961.