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64
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 1962 no case of poliomyelitis was notified—the second year
in succession.
Dysentery
The number of cases showed a large increase over the previous
year, which was exceptionally low. 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
1962 was not an epidemic year, there being only 423 cases. They
were of mild degree.
Pneumonia
The number of cases was 23, the lowest recorded for over 20 years.
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 1962, the total,
53,being only a little more than half the previous year, which in itself
was only a little over half those in 1960.