View report page

Cancelled cases have not been included.
Smallpox
No case of smallpox occurred in the Borough during 1948.
Dysentery
During 1948 there were two outbreaks of Sonne dysentery in the
Hampstead Day Nurseries. The one in Parkhill Road day nursery
was small, and only four positive cases were found; the other in
Woodchurch Road day nursery was more extensive, and involved 37
suspected children, 20 of whom were found to have Sonne dysentery.
The outbreak at Parkhill Road was small, and readily responded
to appropriate measures, i.e., exclusion of the positive cases (one staff
and three children), and swabbing of all suspects.
The first case at Woodchurch Road occurred on 5th July, 1948, when
a child was found to be suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting. A swab
was taken on that date and was returned negative. The child was
re-admitted to the nursery, certified fit, on 12th July, 1948. A second
swab, as a precautionary measure, was taken on that date and was
returned positive for Sonne dysentery, and the child was then immediately
excluded. During this week, 7 other children developed similar symptoms,
and swabs showed positive Sonne dysentery. Swabs were then taken
from all staff and children attending the nursery. However, during the
week commencing 19th July, another 8 children developed dysentery.
At the end of this week, the epidemic began to abate, and during the
week commencing 26th July, only three new cases occurred. Fourteen
other children who had loose motions had repeated negative swabs,
and did not develop dysentery.
A rigid technique was imposed on the nursery, and implicit instructions
on hand washing were given to all members of nursery and kitchen staff.
None of the nursing or domestic staff had any symptoms or any positive
swabs.
All cases where a positive swab was obtained were excluded from the
nursery until three consecutive negative swabs at weekly intervals
were obtained.
(7609) a3