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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1957 3
double that of the previous year, accounted for in the main by the
very large number of cases of measles, namely 3,802; 1957 was a
measles year. I referred in my report last year to the amount of Sonne
dysentery which we had experienced. Although the disease was still
prevalent, the number of cases was considerably fewer being 232 in
1957 compared with 750 in 1956. The routine measures as outlined
last year continued to be taken and the disease, although difficult to
control, was kept within reasonable limits. The year saw an increase
in the number of cases of poliomyelitis, a total of 147 cases being
reported and investigated but only 71 of these being ultimately
confirmed as true cases of poliomyelitis. Advances in pathological
methods have enabled the virus of the disease to be isolated and in
appropriate cases this has helped in the investigation of some of the
cases. We have again received considerable help from the Public
Health Laboratory Service who have always been prepared to discuss
our problems and to examine specimens where such examinations
would be helpful.
In the autumn, Wandsworth, like most areas in the country, was
swept by an epidemic of "Asian" influenza. It was not possible to
ascertain exactly how many cases arose since influenza as such is
not a notifiable disease. From information we received from schools
and other institutions, it was clear that the disease was wide-spread
although, fortunately, in general, it appeared to be comparatively
mild. Towards the end of the year, the cases tailed off although there
seemed to be a slight secondary but much smaller prevalence in the
New Year.
Reference is made in the body of the report to work under the Food
Hygiene Regulations. During the year, attention was further concentrated
on this problem and to provide greater flexibility in dealing
with food hygiene generally and particularly in view of our shortage
of Public Health Inspectors, some of the Inspectors were given
additional responsibility in relation to food hygiene. This has worked
well and although a great deal still remains to be done before the
Food Hygiene Regulations can be regarded as being fully complied
with, considerable headway has been and is still being made.
The other important new part of our work to which much attention
was paid during the year was the implementation of the Clean