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B. Communicable Diseases.
The details respecting the notifications of infectious disease
received by me are set out in the Local Government Board's Return
(Table VII), which also shows the number treated in hospital as well
as the number of deaths.
The number of cases of each disease notified in London since 1890
are shown in Table VIII, together with cases notified during the
same period in the different divisions which, with some modifications,
now form the City. These figures are exclusive of duplicate notifications.
In London, as a whole, the number of cases of scarlet fever,
diphtheria, and enteric fever was above the number notified in the
previous year. The same applies to Westminster. A number of
doubtful cases, contacts, and certain patients returning from fever
hospitals, &c., were visited during the year.
In August and September, when a large number of children are sent
to the country by various agencies, it is not infrequent to find that
some of them return with various diseases of an infectious character.
It has been mentioned in the papers that several local authorities in the
country complain that insufficient care is taken in sending children to
holiday homes, and that infectious disease is thus introduced into their
districts. So far as Westminster is concerned, I know that the various
agencies regularly make careful enquiries, and no child is sent away
from a house from which any case of infectious disease has been notified.
It may, of course, happen that a child is apparently well on leaving
London, but may have been unknowingly infected just before, and
consequently does not develop any symptoms until arrival in the
country. It would be an advantage if the cottages to which the children
are sent were examined by the local authority as to their fitness for the
purpose, and certified as to the number of children who may be accommodated.
This would necessitate a visit when each fresh batch of
children arrived, to see that overcrowding did not occur, and the
existence of any suspicious illness might be detected at the same time.
Smallpox.—There were no cases of smallpox notified in Westminster,
but 51 notifications were received of persons coming to Westminster
from infected places or off ships on which cases had occurred.
Vaccination.—The Vaccination Officers have supplied me with the
following particulars relating to vaccination of infants born in 1912:-