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INFECTIOUS DISEASES
POLIOMYELITIS
Twenty-two Hornsey residents were notified during the year to be suffering
from poliomyelitis; in thirteen cases paralysis was present. In addition
one Hornsey resident died of paralytic poliomyelitis contracted while on
holiday at a seaside resort. The death is included in the table shown later in
this report.
Three of the paralytic cases made complete recoveries and four others
showed considerable improvement by the end of the year. One patient was still
in hospital undergoing treatment at the end of the year; and six others had some
degree of paralysis as follows:-
1. An infant boy aged 10 months on admission to hospital showed severe
weakness of left shoulder muscles and some weakness of right leg.
2. A boy aged 3 years with weakness of muscles of left foot requiring
leg iron support.
3. A boy aged 2| years, marked paralysis of right arm; now uses arm
quite well, but cannot raise above head.
4. A boy of 7 years with weakness of the palate and having difficulty
in swallowing made a good recovery.
5. A boy of 7 years with paralysis of both legs, may require minor
orthopaedic surgery later.
6. A boy aged 3 years - brother of previous case; muscles of both legs
mildly affected, but has made a good recovery.
In the early summer a small outbreak occurred in a day nursery in the
Borough. Two cases of paralytic poliomyelitis occurred in unvaccinated
children and the infant brother and young sister of two children attending the
nursery were both admitted to hospital suffering from paralytic and nonparalytic
poliomyelitis respectively. Poliovirus (type 1) was isolated from
the faeces of all four children. Shortly afterwards a three year old girl
attending the nursery developed what was considered to be a simple upper
respiratory tract infection; poliovirus (type 1) however, was isolated from the
faeces.
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