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7
Tuberculosis.
During the year there was a decrease in the incidence of this
disease. The number of new cases notified was 111 as against 143
in the previous year. These figures show a decrease of 37 in
pulmonary cases and an increase of 5 in non-pulmonary cases.
This total of 111 cases notified for 1960 is a new record low
figure, beating the previous best (in 1958) by no less than 17 cases.
In the statistical supplement will be found a chart showing the
number of new cases notified during the past 20 years.
The number of deaths was 7 as against 8 in 1959. This, over
the years, I regard as a quite remarkable improvement.
As in previous years, the London County Council continued
with the campaign for B.C.G. inoculations among school-children
and a total of 2,045 received these inoculations during the year.
Poliomyelitis.
There was only one confirmed case of this disease in the
Borough in 1960: it was found to be of the paralytic type. There
were two confirmed cases ir. 1959.
48,255 vaccinations against this disease were carried out in
Division 1 of the London County Council.
Smallpox
In October a Dutch businessman arrived in London from
Singapore and was subsequently found to be suffering from Smallpox.
Public Health Services all over London were alerted, and it
was discovered that the patient had visited Wormwood Scrubs Prison
in Hammersmith whilst he was in an infectious state, and had been
in contact with members of the prison staff and with prisoners.
As one of the precautionary measures, I arranged with the
Chief Medical Officer of the prison that everyone there should be
offered vaccination without delay. The Public Health Department
treated this as an emergency and immediately obtained sufficient
vaccine and delivered it to the prison, thus making vaccination
possible the same day.
A supply of vaccine was kept in hand at the Public Health
Department, and vaccination was made available to the public.
All general practitioners practising locally were informed of arrangements
made and of the facilities available. I made daily visits to
the prison, and as prisoners were discharged to their homes outside
the Borough the appropriate local authority was notified in order
that full precautions might be taken.
No further cases of Smallpox did occur, but the fullest preparations
were made should this have happened.