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SECTION E
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
The total number of corrected notifications of infectious disease during 1960
was 623 as compared with 1,518 for the previous year, the diminished total mainly
being due to the decrease in the number of cases of measles notified, i.e., 247
during 1960 and 1,166 during 1959.
Diphtheria.
Although no cases of diphtheria were notified during the year, there were
several cases in other parts of London and there is, therefore, still no room for
complacency with regard to this disease.
It must be reiterated that freedom from diphtheria can only be maintained by
emphasizing to the public the seriousness of this disease and by gaining their
support and maintaining a vigorous policy of immunisation.
Dysentery.
There was very little change in notifiable cases as compared with 1959. There
were, however, two minor outbreaks, one being related to a nursery school, involving
six cases (five children, one parent), and the other to a Half-way House for
homeless families. The latter resulted from the transfer of a family from another
Half-way House which had had positive cases.
As a result of past experience, it has been agreed with the London County
Council that no transfer shall be made from a large Home in which there have been
recent cases of dysentery unless the family to be transferred has a satisfactory
history, confirmed by a series of negative swabs.
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