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26
INFECTIVE ENTERITIS.
This disease is notifiable in eight other metropolitan boroughs. On May 2nd, 1927, the
Council made the disease known as "Infective Enteritis" or "Summer Diarrhoea," notifiable for
a period of two years. This Order was made by virtue of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
and is only applicable to children under the age of five years. It was extended in 1929 for a further
period of three years. In 1932 the disease was made permanently notifiable.
Forty-two cases of the disease were notified during the year.
The number of deaths under the age of 5 years was 26, as compared with 24 in 1937, 31 in 1936,
22 in 1935, 44 in 1934, 33 in 1933, and 103 in 1932. Thirty-seven patients received treatment in
various hospitals.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Tuberculosis of all kinds is notifiable, and particulars of the number of notification certificates
received during the year 1938 are set out below.
The number of certificates received, and the number of cases on the register serve only imperfectly
to show the amount of tuberculosis in the Borough. It is possible for a case to be notified in more
than one Borough or District, and many of the cases that are taken off the register as "lost sight
of" have probably not removed out of the Borough. Several of these cases are, in fact, subsequently
traced and restored to the register. The annual number of deaths, therefore, would appear to
be the most reliable guide at the present time as to the prevalence of tuberculosis.
In 1938 there were 70 deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis, and 11 deaths from other tuberculous
diseases, making a total of 81 deaths from all forms of tuberculosis.

Ten persons dying from tuberculosis during the year were not formally notified, this
number being equal to 12.3 per cent. of the total tuberculosis deaths recorded. In all cases where
it appeared necessary, inquiries were made as to the reason for the absence of notification.