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SECTION E.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTRGL OVER, INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The total number of corrected notifications of infectious
disease during 1952 was 1,551 as compared with 2,523
during the previous year.
This reduction was almost entirely due to the decrease
in the number of cases of measles and whooping cough which
occurred only about half as frequently as in 1951„
Diphtheria.
No cases of Diphtheria were confirmed during the year.
This very satisfactory position is due to the immunisation
campaign which has proved so successful throughout the whole
country during the past 10 years. Immunisation in London
is mainly carried out by officers of the London County Council.
although a number of cases have been immunised by general
medical practitioners. The total number of children
immunised for the first time, together with those given reinforcing
doses was about 20% greater than in the previous
year.
Smallpox.
No cases of Smallpox occurred in the Borough during
19520 Less than one-third of the children born during the
year were vaccinated against smallpox. As vaccination
is necessary for persons travelling in many parts of the
world and for persons joining the armed forces, and as complications
following vaccination are much more frequent in
persons who are vaccinated for the first time in adult life,
the present position is far from satisfactory quite apart
from the added danger within the Borough should a case of
Smallpox occur.
54.