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REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR 1960 3
The year was not one of any particular mote as regards infectious
diseases, the total number notified being 3,032 against 5,647 in 1959.
This reduction was accounted for in the main by the fewer number of
measles cases which were notified, since 1960 was a "non-measles
year", but there was also a drop in the number of scarlet fever cases
to 172 from 329; on the other hand, there was an increase in the
number of whooping cough cases to 492 from 111. There were.
however, no deaths from whooping cough and reports received from
time to time from local doctors with whom we have contacts, indicated
that generally the disease was of a mild type and in many cases
was modified by previous immunisation.
Poliomyelitis did not present any major worry in 1960, for although
31 cases of this disease were reported to us and the usual home
investigations made, in 26 cases the diagnosis was not confirmed; of
the remaining five confirmed cases, only one had any form of paralysis
and none proved fatal. During the year, under the arrangements of
the London County Council, it is estimated that 13,449 people received
injections against poliomyelitis.
I referred in 1959 to the increase in deaths to the number of 80
from influenza compared with 18 in 1958. In 1960, no deaths were
attributable to influenza and there was during the year much less
disease of the influenza type than in 1959. Deaths from influenza are
likely to be paralleled by deaths from acute influenzal pneumonia
and this was certainly so in 1960, for only 15 cases of acute influenzal
pneumonia were notified in 1960 compared with 134 in 1959 and there
were only four deaths compared with 45 in 1959. Other acute respiratory
infections were similarly reduced in incidence, for there were
only 124 cases of acute primary pneumonia notified, with 26 deaths,
against 58 in 1959. This amelioration of the toll that respiratory
infections can take, particularly on old people, may be related to the
mild winter months we experienced in 1960. Moreover, there was
mercifully little fog with its accompanying smog.
The number of cases of tuberculosis of which we became aware
was 395 compared with 491; thus the downward trend continues.
The number of primary notifications reported to us was 218 compared
with 260 in 1959. I have in previous years noted the improvement
which has taken place in the outlook for patients with tuberculosis
and to the change of emphasis which has come about in our approach
towards diseases of the chest. It is interesting to compare the number
of deaths from tuberculosis, bronchitis and lung cancer in 1950 and
in 1960. Tuberculosis caused 34 deaths in 1960 against 146 in 1950;
bronchitis caused 211 deaths in 1960 against 259 in 1950; while
cancer and malignant diseases of the lung gave rise to 952 deaths in
1960 but only 762 in 1950. These figures tell their own story. The
reduction in the number of deaths from tuberculosis over the decade
has been remarkable. The number of deaths from bronchitis over the
same period has been reduced but not to any appreciable extent. The
number of deaths from cancer and malignant diseases of the lung,