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Further experience has demonstrated that the ultimate
outlook is much more serious than was at one time supposed. In
children, especially, mental changes result, persist and prove permanent.
It is impossible at present to say what proportion of
surviving cases exhibit after effects, whether mental or physical.
It appears to be probable that mental after effects, especially in
children, occur in a large proportion of the surviving cases.
Despite the valuable statistics available, nothing definite
can be deduced regarding any conditions that might dispose an
individual to an attack. The disease appears however, to have
selected more particularly those of either sex following sedentary
occupations, while, as regards age incidents, the age-period 10-20
years has proved to be the most susceptible.
The means and modes by which the infection of the disease
is naturally carried from person to person remain obscure; very
seldom can an attack in any individual be traced to the patient's
contact with an obvious case of the disease.
The hypothesis of the "healthy carrier" has been put forward,
but it is obvious that no very definite lines of prophylaxis
can be laid down until we have the means of determining the individuals
who are the unconscious reservoirs of the poison.
Small-pox.-No cases of Small-pox occurred in Acton during
the year.
Contacts of cases of Small-pox reaching the various ports
were on several occasions notified by the port authorities, and were
kept under observation until the incubation period had passed.
Some cases of Small-pox in a neighbouring district involved
the supervision of a large number of contacts in Acton. One of the
sufferers was employed in a large factory in Acton, and another patient
was employed in a large engineering factory on the borders, and
a number of the employees resided in Acton.
Tuberculosis.—There were 47 deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis
and 8 deaths from other forms of Tuberculosis.
During the year 85 notifications of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
and 9 notifications of other forms of Tuberculosis were
received.
The Public Health Tuberculosis Regulations, 1924, came into
force April 1st, 1925.
Under Article 4 of the Regulations of 1921, the Medical
Officer of Health was required to remove from the Tuberculosis
Register the entries relating to notifications in respect of persons
who have, to his knowledge, died or have ceased permanently to
reside within the district.