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156
Encephalitis Lethargica.
There was no case during 1938.
Malaria.
No case of Malaria was notified during the year.
Dysentery.
Seven cases of Dysentery were notified in 1938 as compared with
ten during the previous year. All cases were of the Sonne type. Two
of them occurred in June, two in October. The other cases were
notified in January, April and December respectively. With one
exception the patients were treated in hospital. There were four
children aged three years or less, and three adults. In no case was
there a fatal termination.
The bacteriological services of the Borough Council are available
for differential diagnosis, and the appropriate outfit for collection of
faeces is sent to any medical practitioner on request. It is particularly
important, especially in the case of young children, or children in
Foster Homes or other Institutions, that bacteriological investigation of
the faeces should be immediately undertaken whenever any suspicious
illness of a gastro-intestinal nature occurs. Unfortunately, it is frequently
impossible to detect any pathogenic organisms in these cases,
and it is probable that the enteritis is not caused by any of the known
organisms. These cases form a distinct group in which the mortality
is very high in children under one year, and the disease very infectious
from child to child.
In hostels and children's homes scrupulous cleanliness is necessary,
particularly after the occurrence of a case of gastro-enteritis, in order
to prevent the spread of infection,
Pneumonia.
During the year 93 cases of Pneumonia were notified. Of these
78 were of acute Primary Pneumonia, and 15 cases of acute InfluenzalPneumonia.
The total deaths were 13, of which 12 occurred in
persons over 45 years of age (9 in persons of 60 years or more).
As is usually the case, the age of the patient appears to be the
?hief factor of mortality.