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18
ACUTE POLIO-MYELITIS.
Four cases of this disease, otherwise known as Infantile Paralysis, were notified. Owing
to the serious after-effects, such as deformities, which result from this disease much care is
taken to keep in touch with all cases previously notified. Recent experience tends to show
that most of the cases notified by doctors receive all the necessary remedial treatment. It is
evident that the possibility of preventing the onset of serious deformities is now realised by
parents and doctors more than formerly.
ACUTE POLIO-ENCEPHALITIS.
Only one case of this disease, somewhat similar in its nature to the last mentioned, was
notified.
ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA.
Four cases of this disease were notified; this disease, commonly known as "sleepy sickness,"
is found to be frequently the forerunner of progressive mental and physical deterioration,
occasionally signalised by disorders of conduct. For this reason careful enquiry is made as
tojthe after-history of all cases of this disease which are brought to notice.
CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER.
Three cases of this disease were notified in 1927.
MALARIA.
Two cases were notified, both being patients suffering from general paralysis of the insane,
into whom malaria was artificially inoculated as a therapeutic measure.
ACUTE PRIMARY PNEUMONIA, ACUTE INFLUENZAL PNEUMONIA.
One hundred and eighty-three cases of acute primary pneumonia were notified in 1927,
as compared with 184 in 1926, 265 in 1925 and 369 in 1924. Of the 183 cases, 126 were nursed
in institutions. 107 cases of acute influenzal pneumonia were notified as compared with
76 in 1926, 88 in 1925 and 87 in 1924. 51 cases of pneumonia received nursing attention at
home under the auspices of the Council scheme for district nursing, 988 visits being paid.
ANTHRAX.
One case of this disease was notified but proved to have been incorrectly diagnosed.
CHOLERA, DYSENTERY, GLANDERS, HYDROPHOBIA, PLAGUE, RELAPSING
FEVER, TRENCH FEVER, TYPHUS FEVER.
No cases of these diseases were notified during 1927.
WHOOPING-COUGH.
This disease is notifiable in only two London boroughs and not in Paddington. Since
both the cause of the disease and effective means for treating it are unknown it would not
appear that notification could assist very much in checking it. Whooping-cough is very
infectious in the catarrhal stage, before the characteristic whoop develops, and this adds to
the difficulty in dealing with the disease.
In 1927, 38 children died from whooping-cough, all under the age of 5 years. The numbers
of deaths in 1926 and 1925 were 8 and 13 respectively. There was an extensive epidemic
of whooping-cough during the year but no reliable information is available as to the number
of persons affected.
CANCER.
i
The deaths from cancer are growing in number year by year in every part of the country,
including Paddington. It is now one of the commonest causes of death, and the number of
deaths, 247, which occurred in Paddington last year is larger than in any previous year. Careful
analysis of the figures demonstrates that the increase is a real one and is only partly accounted