View report page

3
INFECTIVE DISEASES
The number of deaths from all notifiable infectious diseases was
68. This included 27 from all forms of tuberculosis and 40 from the
notifiable forms of penumonia. There was one death from meningococcal
meningitis.
From all notifiable infective diseases the death-rate was 0.19 per
1,000.
Table I shows the number of cases of the notifiable diseases
reported, arranged in age groups, and Table II 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 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.
In this connection, a great deal of additional work was placed on
the public health staff owing to the importation of smallpox from
Pakistan during December 1961 and January 1962, leading to the
distribution of infected immigrants in a number of towns in England
and Wales, including London. Secondary cases occurred in some of
these areas and the infection was not finally extinguished until the
end of April.
All travellers from infected areas of Pakistan who came into the
Borough were kept under the strictest surveillance for the relevant
periods. In many cases, daily examination of these persons was
carried out by the Deputy Medical Officer of Health and in most
of the other cases, daily contact was maintained by the public health
inspectors. It was also necessary to carry out a medical examination
of a number of patients suffering from diseases requiring differentiation
from smallpox.
Diphtheria
Several suspected cases were reported and investigated but in no
case was the diagnosis confirmed.
Whooping Cough
Fifty-four cases only were notified during the year. With one
exception, that of 1940, this is the lowest number notified in any
year since 1901. No death occurred.
18