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17
INFECTIVE DISEASES
45 deaths attributable to acute influenzal pneumonia. Deaths in
previous years were 18 in 1958, 58 in 1957 and 30 in 1956.
The number of deaths from acute primary pneumonia was 58 and
this figure, together with deaths from other forms of pneumonia,
made a total of 358 compared with 295 in 1958.
Malaria
No cases were reported.
Erysipelas
Thirty-three cases were notified.
Other Infective Diseases
Fourteen deaths occurred from syphilis.
Scabies
Fourteen notifications were received. Thirty-one treatments were
given at the Council's Disinfecting Station during the year.
At the Battersea Cleansing Station, a total of 154 treatments
for scabies and verminous conditions was given to women residents
(and children under school age) of Wandsworth in accordance with
the arrangements made by this Council with the Battersea Borough
Council in 1955.
Food Poisoning
Two hundred and sixty-one formal notifications were investigated
during the year. Two hundred and nineteen were single unrelated
cases and 42 comprised 24 minor family outbreaks involving two or
more persons.
The majority of the single cases were only slightly affected and
where bacteriological examination was carried out, organisms
likely to have caused the illness were discovered in 24 cases. The
organisms isolated were Salmonellae typhimurium (18), thompson
(2), munchen, newport, enteriditis and bovis morbificans.
In 21 of the minor outbreaks it was not possible to identify the
causative agent and in the remaining three, the organism Salmonella
typhimurium was isolated.
In addition to the above cases, two other outbreaks were reported,
one occurring at a hospital in the borough and the other at a school.
These outbreaks involved a total of 387 persons, 371 of whom
constituted the hospital outbreak. The remaining one involved
16 persons.
From bacteriological investigation of a number of those affected,
it appeared that both of these outbreaks were due to heat resistant
Clostridium welchii. Full reports were submitted to the Ministry of
Health in accordance with the M.O.H. revised Memo. 188/Med.