View report page

Apart from its unusual seasonal incidence this epidemic was unusual in its age
distribution of mortality. The figures for influenza given in table V.3, when compared
with those of previous influenza epidemics show a level of mortality rather above
expectation at ages between 5 and 25 years, and a level of mortality above the age of 75
much below expectation. As has already been stated, the disease was on the whole not
severe as judged by the case fatality rate.
Just before the epidemic commenced arrangements were made for a considerable
number of volunteers in the London ambulance service to receive a vaccine. Their
subsequent sickness history was followed up as part of an inquiry carried out by the
Medical Research Council. The results showed that the vaccine against the Asian strain
exerted a protective effect in those receiving it.
The level of incidence of influenza after the main epidemic remains speculative.
The virus continued to be present in the population during the months of November
and December. There was no repetition of the epidemic events already described in the
schools or adult population, but there was a considerable rise in mortality commencing
in November and increasing during December. This was in part the result of the usual
seasonal influences encountered at this time of the year; the smog of December
undoubtedly had a marked effect on mortality for the following period. The exact
part played by influenza in the raised mortality of December is thus extremely difficult
to estimate.
The influenza deaths in the last 15 years are shown in the following table :

Leptospirosis
No cases of leptospirosis were reported during the year among the Council's sewer
workers.
Measles
The biennial epidemic occurred during 1957, the size of the epidemic (36,952
notifications) being smaller than the preceding one in 1955 in which year there were
49,110 notifications. There were 11 deaths from measles during the year which indicates
a level of severity roughly equal to that in the 1955 epidemic.
Ophthalmia
neonatorum

Of the 72 cases, vision was unimpaired in 62, one died, and the remaining nine moved
from the district. None of the three cases under treatment at the end of the preceding
year had impaired vision.
17
B*