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DYSENTERY.
Four cases were notified, all being described as suffering from the "Sonne" type of
Dysentery. This is a mild form, bacteriological diagnosis is difficult, and under these
circumstances it is obvious that there are many difficulties in the recognition of this
particular type of Dysentery. All the above cases recovered completely.
FOOD POISONING.
Under the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1932, Food Poisoning
became a notifiable disease. The act requires that every medical practitioner attending on
any person shall, if he suspects or becomes aware that such person is suffering from food
poisoning, forthwith send to the Medical Officer of Health of the district in which such person
is a notification certificate. This must include particulars of the food from which the patient
has, or is suspected to have, contracted the illness.
Unfortunately the term "Food Poisoning" has not been defined and many cases are
notified which are probably only acute digestive troubles.
Food poisoning became compulsorily notifiable on 12th July, 1932. From this date up
to the end of the year 16 cases were notified, none of which were serious. It is too early to
give a final opinion on the value of this Act; it would appear, however, that it requires some
amendment in order to make the statistics in connection therewith accurate and the disease
more clearly defined.
MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES.
These diseases were made compulsorily notifiable throughout the country in 1916 under
the Public Health (Measles and German Measles) Regulations, 1915, but were revoked by the
Ministry of Health in 1919. The St. Pancras Borough Council were satisfied as to the value
of notification, and intimated to the Ministry the desire to continue the practice. This was
granted, and notification became compulsory under the Metropolitan Boroughs of Lambeth
and St. Pancras (Measles and German Measles) Regulations, 1920.
Under these Regulations all cases are notifiable by parents and guardians, but only the
first case occurring in an outbreak in a household or institution is notifiable by medical
practitioners, an interval of two months since the last case constituting a new outbreak. The
following details, tables and chart have been prepared by Dr. P. V. Pritchard, Assistant
Medical Officer, and demonstrate several important and interesting facts about Measles.
Table I. gives the gross figures as regards incidence and deaths. These may be misleading,
and they have therefore been worked out in Table II. as Incidence and Mortality Rates. On
Table III. these calculations are expressed by two graphs.
The tendency for the disease to be prevalent in alternate years is very evident,
especially when followed graphically. The third and fourth quarters of the year are usually
comparatively free, but frequently a rise commences in December and is continued in the first,
and generally, but to a less extent, in the second quarter. The wave in December is frequently
seen just prior to an "epidemic year." The value of this knowledge is obvious. On the
warning signs of a rise, the machinery to combat an epidemic is put to work in a more
particular manner. Leaflets explaining the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the disease
are distributed through all schools, welfare centres, and similar institutions. Much of the
time and energy of the staff is especially diverted to combat the spread, and the facilities for
nursing the cases at home are increased. In 1927 the Fever Hospitals adopted the practice of