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6
SECTION B
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
Infectious Diseases
There were, omitting tuberculosis, 2,606 cases of infectious
disease notified in the Borough during the year. 274 cases
were removed to isolation hospitals. Of this number,
however, 67 were subsequently returned home as they were
found not to be suffering from the disease suspected. Thus,
the corrected number of cases of infectious disease for the
year was 2,539 as against 1,479 for the previous year.
This increase was mainly due to the measles epidemic which
periodically affects the total annual number of notifications.
Fourteen cases of diphtheria were notified but only one case
was confirmed and it is very pleasing to record that no death
from this disease has occurred in the Borough during the past
seven years. This is a record for the present century, if not
for any previous similar period during which diphtheria has
been recognised as a separate disease. During recent years
great strides have been made in protecting children against
diphtheria, and this service, free of charge, is carried out at
clinics which are held regularly at the Infant Welfare Centres.
To assist correct diagnosis the Council has made arrangements
for the examination of specimens from patients sent in
by doctors in doubtful or suspicious cases of diphtheria,
typhoid fever, tuberculosis, etc. This service is carried out
at the West London Hospital and is referred to later in the
Report.
Tuberculosis
The number of new cases notified during the year was 208
as against 187 for the previous year. 27 more pulmonary
cases were notified than last year, but there was a decrease of
6 in the non-pulmonary cases. It is to be regretted that the
expected post-war drop in the incidence of this disease has
not been maintained.
The total number of cases on the Register of Notifications at
the end of the year was 1,852 as compared with 1,779 in the
previous year. Since the immediate pre-war period when the
total was 859, the number of cases in the Borough has steadily
increased to the figure mentioned above.
Although high priority is given by the housing authorities
in rehousing tuberculous persons, the acute housing shortage
results in inevitable delay in obtaining satisfactory homes, at
the right rent, for the tuberculous and their families.
The number of deaths from tuberculosis was 44, as compared
with 39 for the previous year, which was the lowest number
ever recorded here.