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1918
14
disease has exhibited very regular periods of maximum and
minimum prevalence, these periods extending to about 7 years.
One gratifying feature in this periodicity is the fact that the
peak; tend to become flattened and the troughs to be more
depressed. This is more particularly noticeable in the deathrate
from the disease as compared with the case-rate, and is
undoubtedly due to the introduction of anti-toxin.
MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES.
The Measles epidemic was a continuation of the epidemic
which made its appearance late in 1917.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Although there is a slight decrease in the number of
notified cases of Tuberculosis, there is an increase in the
number of deaths.
From Pulmonary Tuberculosis there were 91 deaths
compared with 65 in 1917. For some years the death-rate
from Pulmonary Tuberculosis has been on the increase,,
but on inquiry into the methods of combating the disease is
difficult owing to the dual control of the County and the local
authority.
ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGIC A.
In the spring and early summer of 1918 cases of illness
presenting a group of unusual cerebral symptoms occurred
By some, the patients were said to be suffering from Botulism—
a disease due to the consumption of food infected with the
Bacillus botulimus of Van Ermengen.
At a time of great difficulty with the food questions when
some articles of food were rationed and others were of an
inferior quality or difficult to obtain, this view attracted considerable
attention, and sausages especially, were avoided by
many people as an article of food.
Inquiries were made by the Local Government Board,
and it was soon established that food did not enter as a direct
or an indirect factor in the causation of the disease. The
disease has been described under different names, but it is now
compulsorily notifiable as Encephalitis Lethargica.