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Information was received of 34 persons coming to Westminster
who had been in contact with cases or coming from infected ports.
These were kept under observation.
The Public Vaccinators have forwarded the following particulars for
the year:—
Ordinary vaccinations 1,851
Re-vaccinations 9,437
These figures do not include private vaccinations; a large number
of the re-vaccinated were non-residents. As the number of primary
vaccinations exceeds the number of infants less deaths under 3 months
of age, it is evident that a number of older children who had been
vaccinated in infancy were vaccinated in 1922. The proportion of
unvaccinated infants in 1920 and 1921 was 21 per cent.
None were performed by the Medical Officer of Health under the
Public Health (Small-pox Protection Regulations, 1917).
Scarlet fever.—This disease was less prevalent than in 1921. Three
deaths resulted.
Diphtheria was more prevalent than in the two preceding years and
caused 24 deaths. Antitoxin was supplied free to medical men in 51 cases,
and 456 swabbings from the throats of suspected cases were examined.
Notwithstanding the facilities afforded, there is still regrettable delay
from time to time in recognising cases of this serious disease. Diagnosis
is not always easy, and the existence of carriers of the organism in an
active condition cannot with existing methods be detected readily. If
this disease is to be tackled effectively, improvements such as I have
referred to in previous reports will have to be adopted.
Typhoid Fever.—Twelve cases of this disease were notified, but 2
cases eventually proved not to be typhoid, and 2 were cases of paratyphoid
fever. One person not notified in Westminster was an inmate of an
asylum and died there. In another case, the cause of death was attributed
to typhoid fever contracted in India 20 years previously, but other
ailments were specified to which apparently death was more likely attributable.
Influenza.—This was certified as the cause of 95 deaths, 43 males and
52 females, 10 under 5 years of age, 17 between 25 and 45, 36 between 45
and 65 and 32 over 65 years of age.
Cerebrospinal fever,—Four cases occurred, 3 of which died.
(6809)Q c2