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INFECTIVE DISEASES 17
Measles
The number of cases notified during the year was 303, compared
with 2,850 in 1953, 2,290 in 1952 and 4,299 in 1951.
Acute Poliomyelitis
Forty-one cases of this disease were notified or reported during the
year, of which 34 were subsequently not confirmed. Of the remaining
7 confirmed cases, 5 were of the paralytic type and 2 non-paralytic.
There were no deaths.
In 1953, 27 cases were confirmed, with two deaths.
Acute Encephalitis
Of five cases investigated, none were confirmed.
Meningococcal Infection
Six confirmed cases were notified, of which one proved fatal.
Two other deaths were attributed to this disease on post-mortem
examination making a total of eight cases for 1954.
Twenty-seven other cases were investigated, but were subsequently
not confirmed.
In 1953 there were five cases with two deaths.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid Fever
Of six cases reported during the year, three were subsequently
confirmed as paratyphoid. Diagnosis was not confirmed in the
remaining three cases. There were no deaths.
Puerperal Pyrexia
During the year 138 cases were notified, of which 133 occurred in
hospital and 5 at home. Sixty of the hospital notifications referred
to patients whose home addresses were outside the borough.
Information was also received of 61 cases, referring to Wandsworth
residents whose confinements took place in hospitals located
in other Metropolitan boroughs.
Sonne Dysentery
Systematic follow-up of all cases of Dysentery continued throughout
the year and where it was considered necessary, stool specimens
were obtained from family contacts for bacteriological examination.
In addition to the cases for which formal notifications were received
and which, in the main, were single unrelated cases, a number
of other cases were discovered by investigation of diarrhoea outbreaks
which occurred at Day Nurseries and Schools.