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entirely by the measles notifications which reached what was as far
as we know a record figure of 3,905 cases. Measles tends to have a
periodicity showing maxima in alternate years. Movements of population,
such as occurred in the war, tend to iron out the peaks, and of course
if the major peak period is at the end of one year and at the beginning
of the next then there is also a likelihood that the total for each calendar
year will approximate, although in fact the great majority of cases
might have occurred within a short period of two or three months in
the twenty-four. This phenomenon showed itself in the period under
present review as the epidemic did not really begin until the commencement
of 1955. There had in fact been only 521 cases in 1954,
which was a record low number for some years past, and then there
was this sudden period of very high incidence during the first part of 1955.
The highest weekly notifications reached 371, for the week ending
March 5. In spite of there being almost 4,000 cases of measles there
was no death, which probably indicates both the decline in virulence
of the organism compared with some years ago and, perhaps more
important, the greater control we now have over the complications of
measles through the newer drugs.
Dysentery cases declined considerably, but the beginning of 1956
showed a nationwide increase. Poliomyelitis was again prevalent, the
number of cases notified being 63—the highest since the record year
of 1947. There seems no doubt about the efficacy of the new vaccines
in the prevention of poliomyelitis, though the varying types of vaccine
in use in different countries no doubt have varying degrees of prevention.
The relatively small number of children for whom the British vaccine
will be available prior to the summer of 1956 will certainly benefit and
it is hoped and thought that there will be sufficient vaccine available in
the winter of 1956 onwards for the children of all those parents who
are wise enough to avail themselves of it. There was one death from
whooping cough in spite of there being a slightly lesser number of cases
(412 as against 449). It is desirable therefore to repeat that a considerable
measure of protection can be given to a child by immunisation against
whooping cough, and although this protection may not be absolute,
i.e. may not prevent the child having the disease, it almost invariably
makes the disease less serious and less prolonged. The injections can
be given at the same time as the injections against diphtheria, and are
best started about six months of age, or earlier if for whooping cough
alone.
Tuberculosis
The number of new notifications, which had decreased considerably
in the previous year, showed a small increase of 15 to 271 in 1955. This
is equivalent to a rate of 114 per 100,000 population for pulmonary and
7 for other forms. The number of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis
at 22, was equivalent to a rate of 10 per 100,000 population. While the
death rate therefore (as can be more easily seen in table 10) continues
to fall steeply, the notfication rate keeps much the same and in fact it is