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INFECTIVE DISEASES
The number of deaths from all notifiable infectious diseases was
113. This included 53 from all forms of tuberculosis and 57 from the
notifiable forms of pneumonia. There was one death from poliomyelitis
and two deaths from measles.
From all notifiable infective diseases the death-rate was 0.33 per
1,000.
Table IV shows the number of cases of the notifiable diseases
reported, arranged in age groups, and Table V shows the same figures
arranged in the sub-district in which they occurred.
Smallpox
No case occurred in the Borough during the year.
Notification is frequently received from Port and Local Authorities
of persons coming into the Borough who may have been in contact
with Smallpox. Observation for the necessary period is kept on
these persons by members of the Public Health Department.
Diphtheria
There were no confirmed cases.
Scarlet Fever
Two hundred and eighty nine cases of scarlet fever were notified,
compared with 345 in 1954, and 336 in 1953. The diagnosis was not
confirmed in five cases. No deaths occurred.
I referred in my 1954 report to the concentration of cases which
occurred towards the end of that year, on one of the new estates and
suggested as a probable cause the large number of children coming
together and playing together on the new estate. Cases continued
to be reported from this area during the first two months of 1955,
but during the following month the incidence steadily declined.
Whooping Cough
Five hundred and forty-seven cases were notified during the year.
There were no deaths.
Measles
The number of cases notified during the year was 5,206 compared
with 303 in 1954, 2,850 in 1953 and 2,290 in 1952.
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