View report page

91
Prevalence of, and Control over, Infectious and
other Diseases.
Cerebro-Spinal Fever.
Three cases of Cerebro-Spinal Fever occurred in the Borough
during the course of the year under review. All three patients concerned
were males (ages 14, 42 and 57), two of whom died. The
cases were in no wise associated with one another, and lived in different
parts of the Borough, the illnesses being in the months of
February, March and April.
Diphtheria.
During the year, 104 cases of diphtheria were notified and three
deaths were registered from this cause. The morbidity rate was 11
per 1,000 of the population and the case mortality was 29 per cent.
Of the 103 notified cases all except one were removed to hospital.
224,000 units of anti-toxin were issued by the Public Health Department
to medical practitioners during the year.
I minimisation.
In June, 1933, a scheme was instituted whereby immunising
material against diphtheria might be made available free of charge
for the use of general practitioners in the Borough.
The medical practitioners were circulated and 32 have intimated
their intention of partaking in the scheme. Returns are made by
them, whereby this Department is informed of the name, age, address
and date on which the patient receives the injections.
Although the scheme makes no arrangement for the provision to
the medical practitioners of Schick testing material, it is hoped that
each practitioner makes his own arrangement to effect at least a final
Schick Test.
It would, of course, be of untold advantage if simultaneous
immunisation against both Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever were
arranged, and, if necessary, the above general-practitioner scheme
supplemented by immunisation at the London County Council Schools,
each school in the Borough being dealt with in rotation.