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21
ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA.
No case of this disease was notified.
CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER.
Seven cases of this disease were notified in 1935, and were treated in hospital. Five of the
cases proved fatal.
MALARIA.
Three cases of this disease were notified, all being treated in hospital.
ACUTE PRIMARY PNEUMONIA, ACUTE INFLUENZAL PNEUMONIA.
Ninety-nine (99) cases of acute primary pneumonia were notified in 1935, as compared with 155
in 1934. Of the 99 cases, 58 were nursed in institutions. Thirty-three (33) cases of acute influenzal
pneumonia were notified, as compared with 35 in 1934. Of the 33 cases, 16 were nursed in institutions.
Fifty-two (52) cases of pneumonia of all kinds received nursing attention at home under the
auspices of the Council's scheme for district nursing, 937 visits being paid.
ANTHRAX.
No case of this disease was notified during the year.
ACUTE RHEUMATISM.
This widely prevalent disease was made notifiable as from the 1st March, 1927, by virtue of the
Paddington (Acute Rheumatism) Regulations, 1927. Paddington was the first area in Great Britain
to make acute rheumatism notifiable.
The above Regulations remained in force for a year and were extended to 31st March, 1930,
from which date the disease, under further Regulations, became permanently notifiable in the Borough.
During 1935, 18 oases of acute rheumatism were notified. This figure compares with 41 cases
in 1934, 37 cases in 1933, 21 cases in 1932, 37 cases in 1931, 43 cases in 1930, 52 cases in 1929, 76
cases in 1928, and 34 oases for the ten months of the year 1927 during which the disease was
notifiable.
Acute rheumatism is defined in the Regulations as being the following conditions, occurring
separately or together in a child under the age of 16 years:—
(1) Rheumatic pains or arthritis, if accompanied by a rise of temperature;
(2) Rheumatic chorea;
(3) Rheumatic carditis.
The Regulations enjoin the medical officer of health to make such enquiries and take such steps
as are necessary or desirable for investigating the source of disease, for removing conditions harmful
to the patient and arranging for the treatment of the patient.
All these enquiries and any necessary action have been delegated to the "Rheumatism Supervisory
Centre" which was opened at Paddington Green Children's Hospital on October 9th, 1926. During
the year 1935, a grant of £100 was made by the Council towards the cost of the maintenance of the
centre.
The objects of this voluntary centre are:—
(1) To meet the need shown by rheumatic cases for careful supervision during periods of
apparent quiescence to prevent the development of heart disease.
(2) To supervise rheumatic children, when apparently well, by periodical examinations,
and to instruct the parents to consult their usual doctor or hospital should fresh
symptoms of rheumatism develop. Treatment at the Centre itself is only given in
urgent cases.
(3) To instruct parents in the care of rheumatic children and to make investigations in
Paddington into the causation of rheumatism.
The Centre is under the personal supervision of one of the Honorary Physicians to the Hospital
and there is also a salaried medical officer who devotes her whole time to visiting cases of the disease
and making such enquiries as may elucidate the causes thereof.
The work of the Centre lies with children who are suffering from rheumatism in any of its forms,
whether slight or "acute'' as defined in the Regulations.