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59
The work of the infectious disease visitors as agents of the medical
officer of health includes the investigation of home conditions, the giving
of advice to patients and contacts, particularly where the patient is left
at home, and in general the taking of such measures as may be necessary
to combat the spread of infection.
The following is a summary of the work in visiting infectious
diseases carried out during the year which is in addition to the visits
paid by the public health inspectors referred to in table 24 :—

Poliomyelitis
In 1961 no case of poliomyelitis was notified—the first occasion
of a NIL return since 1946.
Dysentery
The number of cases showed a marked decrease, being only onequarter
of the previous year's total. The focus for local outbreaks is
often the schools and the mildness of the type of dysentery conduces
to spread as the child may go on attending school for the first day or two
when likely to be most infective. The only real bar to the quick spread
of the disease appears to be an extremely high hygienic standard from
the very start in connection with all the apparatus of the water-closet
and with hand washing ; and with immediate exclusion from school.
Measles
1961 was an epidemic year, there being 4278 cases, some sixteen
times the number of the previous year ; and probably the highest number
on record. They were of mild degree, though one death was recorded
from complications in an already weak child.
Pneumonia
The number of cases was 62—an increase on the previous year,
but still very low. The absence of any influenza outbreak was probably
responsible for this although it is likely that many cases of pneumonia
are not formally notified.
Scarlet fever
There was again a decreased number of cases in 1961, the total
being only a little more than half the previous year, which in itself was
about half those in 1959.