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643
England and Wales. Each notified case was promptly and
thoroughly investigated and all possible measures were taken (with
satisfactory results) to prevent any extension of the disease. There
was one death from the disease. Puerperal Pyrexia furnished a
case rate of 0.08 as compared with 0.19 for England and Wales.
SMALL-POX.
The possibility of the introduction of this disease to Stoke
Newington occasioned considerable anxiety throughout 1926,
in view of the number of centres of infection which disclosed
themselves throughout England and Wales. Several false alarms
had to be investigated and contacts kept under observation. I
personally undertook the re-vaccination of the Public Health Staff
in 1923 ; and other arrangements have been made to enable all
necessary measures (including advice to the public with reference to
vaccination and re-vaccination) to be promptly taken, whenever the
disease makes its appearance. Fortunately, no case occurred in
Stoke Newington during 1926. The notification rate from this
disease for England and Wales in 1926 was 0.26 per 1000 living.
Recent experience impresses the fact that no large urban
community can afford to go without the fullest means of coping
with the spread of this disease at very short notice. The
best means is vaccination, but nothing short of the presence
of Small-pox will lead a considerable proportion of the
community to avail themselves of this great protective
measure.
DIARRHŒA AND ENTERITIS.
There were 6 deaths from this disease among children
under 2 years of age. The death-rate is best expressed as the
proportion which the deaths under two years of age from these
diseases form to a thousand births. The rate is 60, which
compares favourably with the rate for London generally
(11.8).
There can be no questioning the fact that Hospital
treatment of severe cases of these diseases saves many children