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weeks later it had risen to three times the normal rate, the increase being
due mainly to Asian influenza. Generally it was a mild illness.
Protective vaccine was made available to hospital staffs as well as
general practitioners, home nurses and others at special risk.
DYSENTERY
Twenty-five cases of dysentery were notified. The causal organism in
one case was that of "shigella flexner", and isolated from a West African
Student. All other bacteriologically confirmed cases were due to
"shigella sonne".
An account of a small outbreak in a nursery is described on page 57
of this report.
FOOD POISONING
Seven cases of food poisoning were notified during the year; three
were due to "salmonella typhi-murium", but in the other cases the
causal organism was not discovered.
LABORATORY SERVICES
The Health Department is the collection centre for specimens submitted
for laboratory examination by general practitioners in Hornsey, and
containers are obtainable from the department during office hours.
Specimens received in the department are collected by a messenger
from the laboratory daily but they may be sent direct by doctors to the
laboratory at Coppetts Wood Hospital any time before 5 p.m. on Mondays
to Fridays and 12 noon on Saturdays. The Central Public Health
Laboratory at Colindale maintains a twenty-four hour emergency service.
The Public Health Laboratory service is under the direction of the
Medical Research Council on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the
assistance of the technical staff is available to the department in connection
with outbreaks of infectious diseases or food poisoning in the
Borough.
Copies of bacteriological reports on Hornsey patients are sent to the
Medical Officer of Health and the following is a summary of reports
made during 1957:—
Faeces 466
Nose and throat 3
Sputum 29
Per nasal 5
Food 2
Vesicle fluid 1
Vomit 1
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