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7. Please state whether, in your opinion, the admission to school
of home contacts of Measles had any effect on the incidence of
the disease. Also state whether you are in favour of allowing
home contacts to attend school whilst under supervision during
the next epidemic.
Our Health Visitors believe that many of the babies who have contracted
Measles and died were infected by susceptible contacts who have
contracted infection at school and brought it home.
8. Other remarks (if any). Nil.
Zymotic Enteritis (notifiable from 1st June to 30th September.)
Diarrhoeal diseases (other than Dysentery and the Typhoid group
which are referred to elsewhere in this report) would appear to have
been rather more prevalent than usual in the period when notification
was not in force, judged by the higher mortality in 1936.
The total deaths classified by the Registrar-General to Diarrhoea
and Enteritis were 37, of which 35 were of children under 5 years of
age. Only 13 of the deaths occurred amongst patients who had been
notified, and it would appear, therefore, that it would be advisable to
consider the question of making Zymotic Enteritis (Diarrhoea with
Vomiting) in children under 5 years of age notifiable throughout the
year. This would enable the Department to investigate the condition
and the possible sources of infection, and to endeavour to ensure
adequate treatment at an earlier stage of the disease than is now
possible.
(A summary of the notified cases which were visited by the Health
Visitors is given in the Maternity and Child Welfare Section, page 116.)
Pneumonia.
316 cases of Acute Primary Pneumonia and 17 cases of Acute Influenzal
Pneumonia were notified during the year, 133 of the patients being treated
in hospitals. 81 notified patients died—80 Acute Primary Pneumonia
and 1 Acute Influenzal Pneumonia.