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The borough medical officers of health furnish daily, on a prescribed form,
information regarding all cases of smallpox and their contacts. These reports are
collated and circulated daily to medical officers of health of the metropolitan
boroughs and of the home counties, and also to various county boroughs and other
authorities concerned (Ministry of Health, Port of London Authority, Army, Royal
Air Force, etc.).
A rota of smallpox experts in the Council's service is maintained for purposes
of consultation in doubtful cases. The services of these experts are available when
required by any of the borough medical officers of health.
Chickenpox was made notifiable in two additional metropolitan boroughs,
whilst in several instances the orders making the disease notifiable expired and were
not renewed. At the end of the year the disease was notifiable in Paddington,
Chelsea, Hammersmith, Islington, Stoke Newington, City of London, Poplar, Stepney,
Deptford, Greenwich and the Port of London.
During the year 1931 (52 weeks), 175 cases of cerebrospinal fever were notified :
in 16 the diagnosis was not confirmed. Of the 159 actual cases 97 (61 per cent.)
proved fatal. In addition 44 deaths were recorded during the year by the RegistrarGeneral
of cases which had not been notified.
Cerebrospinal
(spotted)
fever.
As will be seen from the subjoined tabular statement, there was a considerable
increase in the number of cases reported during 1931, compared with recent years.
The Ministry of Health in July published an interesting report (No. 65 in the series
on Public Health and Medical Subjects), reviewing the incidence, distribution,
methods of treatment, etc., of cerebrospinal fever. Special reference was made in
this report to serum treatment and the Ministry asked medical officers having charge
of patients to report the results obtained from the various types of sera. Arrangements
have been made for the required information to be furnished by any of the
Council's hospitals concerned.
During the year, 40 cases of encephalitis lethargica were notified. The diagnosis,
however, was not subsequently confirmed in 8. Of the actual 32 cases, 6 proved
fatal. In addition 37 deaths were recorded by the Registrar-General of cases which
had either not been notified or had been notified in previous years.
Encephalitis
lethargica
(sleepy sickness)
.
Owing to the pressure on the accommodation at the post-encephalitis lethargica
unit at the Northern hospital, 115 additional beds have been provided. There is
now accommodation for 150 adults and 90 children. In addition there are 16 beds
for emergency purposes.
During the year there were 122 admissions to the adult wards (75 men and
47 women) and 28 discharges (18 men and 10 women), whilst one man and one
woman died.
Particulars of children treated in the post-encephalitis lethargica unit are given
in the annual report of the school medical officer (Vol. III, Part II, p. 88).