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18
infectious Diseases
Of 906 cases notified during the year, 112 were due to scarlet
fever. All were of a mild character, many being nursed at home.
Diphtheria
One case of diphtheria was notified—a boy in the age group
5-9. He had previously been immunised as an infant but had not
had a boost dose. It was a severe attack of the gravis type of
bacteria, but after a long convalescence the boy recovered.
453 cases of measles were notified during the year. Of this;
number almost all (444) occurred in the age groups 1-9 years. With
this epidemic of measles there coincided a great increase in whooping
cough, the major part occurring in the age group 1-9 years.
One case of para-typhoid was reported in an adult aged 23i
He was admitted to Hospital from the Railway Hostel, being a fireman
on a train running between Paddington and Bristol. He was
primarily diagnosed as a case of appendicitis, but after his appendix
was removed he was re-diagnosed as a case of para-typhoid fever
and transferred to the Isolation Hospital. On investigation one;
could find no trace of the source of infection except that he had
purchased ice-cream from a shop in an adjacent borough and had
swum in the river Thames. The M.O.H. in the area in which this
man swam assured me there had been no cases of para-typhold
fever traced to swimming in that part of the Thames running
through his Borough.
The M.O.H. in whose area he had partaken of ice-cream also
carried out a rigorous inspection and found that the ice-creams sold
were in a satisfactory condition.
Poliomyelitis
6 cases of Poliomyelitis were notified during the year. Only
one of these was a severe case. Paralysis of the limbs occurred and
unfortunately the child died.