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28
POLIOMYELITIS, 1947-1949
In previous reports the occurrence of cases of poliomyelitis in the
borough has been described. In 1947 there were 13 cases of poliomyelitis
(and 7 cases of benign lymphocytic meningitis), in 1948 there were 4 cases
and 34 in 1949. Table I below shows the age distribution of the cases
and the number of deaths in each year. Tables II-IV give the details of
the epidemics in 1947 and 1949 respectively.
It will be seen that in 1947 the cases were fairly evenly dispersed
over the borough, though the greater number occurred in the Muswell
Hill Ward. In both years it was found that the poorer districts in the
borough did not suffer more severely from the disease than other districts,
indeed, in 1949, 24 of the cases occurred in the Highgate and Muswell
Hill Wards. The peak of the epidemic in 1947 occurred somewhat later
than that in 1949. In 1948 only 4 cases were diagnosed and this year does
not afford any information of a comparative nature with the other two
years under review.
With regard to the 7 cases of benign lymphocytic meningitis in 1947
the annual report for that year says that "(they) were so mild that no
paralysis developed, but examination of their cerebro-spinal fluids showed
the increase in lymphocytic cells which is also a feature of paralytic
poliomyelitis. They were, therefore, believed to be the same infection as
infantile paralysis. They are called 'benign lymphocytic meningitis'
from which recovery was complete in all cases." In the Tables in this
report, these cases have been omitted from the statistics of poliomyelitis
but in the light of experience it is probable that they were in fact a poliomyelitis
infection of the non-paralytic type.