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1937]
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Another interesting point was that there had been five cases of catarrhal
jaundice in the year, and one just within the New Year, all occurring in the probationers
staff (not of British Nationality) ; curiously, British members of the staff
escaped. The theory of the Medical Officer of the Home was that these new members
of the staff arrived from abroad in a poorly nourished condition, and were therefore
apparently susceptible.
PNEUMONIA.
Home nursing is carried out for cases of Acute Primary Pneumonia and Acute
Influenzal Pneumonia, and during the year 16 patients had nursing attendance
provided, which at a cost of 1s. 3d. per visit (raised towards the end of last year from
1s.) amounted to £15 18s. 9d. Besides the cases so nursed, others, of course, were
taken to hospital.
Among the facilities afforded for bacteriological examinations, specimens from
suspected pneumonia cases are given a general examination for pneumococci when
sent in by the doctor. This examination, however, is of limited value and the decision
for hospital treatment has to be made early. An exhaustive examination to find
the strain of the particular pneumococcus is done when thought necessary at the
hospital.
ISLINGTON (CHICKEN-POX) REGULATIONS, 1930.
These regulations came into operation on the 24th March, 1930, and from that
time to the end of this year 3,468 cases had been notified. In 1937 the notifications
numbered 425.
GLANDERS, ANTHRAX AND HYDROPHOBIA IN MAN.
Order under Section 56 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, by the
London County Council. (Came into operation on the
26th April, 1909.)
One case of Anthrax (fatal) came to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of
Health during the year. The history of the case is interesting, as it shows how this
disease can be so overshadowed by other conditions that it may not be suspected.
An instance of a case being similarly missed (not in man but in an elephant) was
recorded in the Medical Officer of Health's Annual Report for 1927, page 36. The
last previous case of a death of a man in Islington from Anthrax was that of a horse
slaughterer's roundsman in 1933.
In the particular case under review, the man suffered from an affection of the
skin of the face near the eye, which simulated Erysipelas. He was sent by the
doctor he consulted to an eye hospital, and was there recommended to another
hospital and from this admitted to a London County Council Infectious Hospital.
The rather sudden fatal issue of this case warranted a postmortem examination being
made, and anthrax was cultivated from the spleen. This man worked (outside the
Borough) in a seed warehouse where canary seed was " blended " with dead flies
imported from abroad.
Acute Encephalitis Lethargica and Acute Polio-Encephalitis.
These diseases became notifiable under an Order of the Ministry of Health
on the 1st January, 1919. During the year one case of Acute Encephalitis
Lethargica came to our notice ; three deaths were registered. No case of Polioencephalitis
was notified, and no death was registered.