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11
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER NOTIFIABLE DISEASES
There was an increase in 1967 in the number of cases of infectious disease reported in the
City, 1,400 notifications (excluding tuberculosis) being received against 868 the previous year.
The increase was entirely due to measles, it being an epidemic year. Of the total, measles accounted
for 1,098 notifications. (See Table 4, page 66).
There were, however, decreases in Dysentery with 79 cases against 104 in the previous year,
and Scarlet Fever 33 against 48 cases; notifications of Puerperal Pyrexia showed a marked decrease
with 88 cases notified compared with 190 in 1966.
Acute Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria and Smallpox
No cases of these diseases occurred in Westminster in 1967.
Dysentery
Seventy-nine notifications of dysentery were received during the year, the majority being
single unconnected cases. Eleven of the notifications related to a minor outbreak at an Infants'
School in Westminster, and a further five to cases which occurred in one of the Children's Department
residential nurseries.
Measles
One thousand and ninety-eight notifications of measles were received during 1967 compared
with 454 in 1966. There was again one death from this disease, that of a male child aged 3
years.
Puerperal Pyrexia
Eighty-eight notifications of puerperal pyrexia were received during 1967. All the cases
occurred in hospital, 43 of the patients being persons normally resident in Westminster.
Puerperal Pyrexia is defined as any febrile condition occurring in a woman in whom a temperature
of 100.4°F. or more has occurred within fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage.
Table 6, page 67, shows an analysis of the causes notified in 1967.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
One case of each of these diseases was notified during the year. Both were instances of
isolated infection occurring in persons from abroad, one of whom was a food handler. There
were also two cases in 1966.
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES OF VACCINATION AND INOCULATION
Arrangements continued for the authentication by the Medical Officer of Health of International
Certificates of Vaccination and Inoculation completed by medical practitioners in Westminster.
These certificates are required by persons proceeding abroad from this country and the purpose
of the authentication is to provide proof to those health authorities abroad who desire it that the
signature of the person issuing the certificate is that of a registered medical practitioner. After
normal office hours, at week-ends and on public holidays, certificates can be authenticated upon
application to the Duty Officer at City Hall.
During the year under review 15,805 (33,394) such certificates were authenticated, the
demand being largely due to people going abroad for holidays. The unusually high number of
certificates authenticated in 1966 was occasioned by an outbreak of smallpox in the West Midlands
and the fact that when smallpox occurs in the United Kingdom, European and other countries
not normally requiring International Certificates, are likely to require them from all travellers from
this country.
The Medical Officer of Health also issues, on request and in appropriate circumstances, certificates
to the effect that no cases of smallpox have occurred in the district during the preceding month.
These certificates, 20 (40) of which were issued during 1967, are sought mainly by persons proceeding
to the United States of America who do not wish to submit to vaccination. It is understood
that the United States immigration authorities reserve the right to place such persons under
surveillance notwithstanding the production of a certificate of this kind.