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The number of deaths from tuberculosis was 17 as compared with 16
In the previous year.
Poliomyelitis
I am very pleased to report a considerable decrease In the number
of cases of this disease compared with the previous year.
There were only three confirmed cases, all of the paralytic type,
but none proved fatal.
Two of the cases were In the same family which consisted of mother
and father and the two patients living In overcrowded conditions In two
small rooms In a basement, the whole of the family sleeping in one room.
One of the children was discharged from hospital with no resultant paralysls,
but it was feared that the other would be slightly paralysed in
his legs for some time.
The third case was a boy of l¼ years, one of three children,
whose brother aged 4± years suffered from non-paralytic poliomyelitis
in 1955.
The patient was discharged from hospital with no apparent 111
effects.
The family appears to be of a poor type, and despite the attack,
in 1955, and the fact that letters regarding vaccination against poliomyelitis
had been sent out by the London County Council to parents of
children In particular age groups, no request was made for vaccination
prior to the attack, nor has any request been made since in respect of
the other child.
Food Poisoning
28 cases of Food Poisoning occurred during the year compared with
23 cases in 1955.
In one case only was salmonella typhi-murium identified, the remaining
cases having no obvious causa organism recovered.
There were no serious outbreaks during the year but foods alleged
to have been responsible for the patients' condition Included comed
beef fritters, steak and kidney pie, continental sausage, roast duck,
ice cream, cockles, chicken essence, canned meat, canned fruit, minced
meat, "hot pot", and oysters. It Is usual to condemn any recent unusual
articles of dlet,but in none of the above "delicacies' were we able to
confirm the patients' suspicions.
Dysentery
There were 138 cases Of Dysentery notified during the year compared
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