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67
PNEUMONIA.
This disease is a frequent complication of other diseases, but when occurring in that
way is not notifiable.
The notifiable forms of Pneumonia are Acute Primary and Acute Influenzal Pneumonia.
178 cases of the former and 121 of the latter were notified during the year. If requested by
the medical attendant, a visiting nurse is supplied in necessitous cases at the cost of the Borough
Council. During the year 68 cases were nursed under this arrangement, 1039 nursing visits
being paid.
MALARIA.
Two cases were notified ; in both instances the disease had been contracted abroad. No
deaths were reported during the year.
DYSENTERY.
One case was notified, but the diagnosis was not confirmed by bacteriological examination.
The patient had not been abroad and no source of infection was discovered. No deaths were
reported.
MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES.
These diseases are compulsorily notifiable in St. Pancras under Special Regulations
sanctioned in 1920. All cases are notifiable by parents or guardians, but only the first case
occurring in a house during an outbreak is notifiable by the medical attendant. An interval of
two months since the previous case constitutes another outbreak. From 1916 to 1919, inclusive,
these diseases were notifiable throughout the whole of England and Wales; but at the end
of the year 1919 notification was abandoned by order of the Ministry of Health. In a few
districts, St. Pancras being one, notification was retained.
Hospital Accommodation.
During the year a decision to abandon the previous practice of always admitting cases
of scarlet fever to hospital in preference to measles was adopted. Under the new
arrangement, when the incidence of infectious disease is such that the supply of beds is
sufficient for all case3, medical practitioners will be able, as in the past, to secure the removal
of a patient by direct application to the Metropolitan Asylums Board. During epidemic
periods, however, cases of either disease will only be admitted on the recommendation of the
Medical Officer of Health. At such periods the selection of cases for hospital will depend on
whether the home conditions are suitable for treating an infectious patient, and it is designed
to take into account the fact that measles has now a higher mortality rate than scarlet
fever. 417 cases of Measles and 60 cases of German Measles were notified during the year,
and since the incidence of Scarlet Fever was small no application of the new arrangement was
necessary.
During December it became apparent that an epidemic of measles was beginning, and in
accordance with the suggestion of the County Medical Officer of Health a special leaflet
explaining the prevention and treatment of the disease was distributed to all schools, welfare
centies and similar institutions where cases of measles were found to have occurred.
The services of a nurse were provided in all cases where this was desired by the medical
attendant and 91 cases were admitted to hospital. Only five deaths were reported.
EPIDEMIC JAUNDICE.
During the latter part of November the Resident Medical Officer at the St. Pancras
Dispensary reported the occurence of four eases of jaundice in children attending one of the
London County Council Schools. Two of the cases were sisters and it appeared likely that
the jaundice was of the epidemic type. On further investigation by enquiry from medical