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111
SECTION F.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES.
1. NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The statistical tables in regard to notifiable infectious diseases during the
year will be found on pages 112 to 115.
These tables show that there was still a considerable falling off in the number
of cases of notifiable diseases in Barking. The cases of scarlet fever notified
declined from 345 to 245 and the number of cases of diphtheria from 162 to 155.
It is to be mentioned here that the type of diphtheria notified was not of the virulent
form of diphtheria, known as the gravis type.
There were five deaths from diphtheria during the year as against twenty-two
for 1934.
Although, of course, I am very glad to be able to say there have been fewer
cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria, I would like to say that in my opinion this is
only the ebb and flow of disease. We do not look upon it as highly satisfactory,
and we shall not look upon a reverse swing of the pendulum with too much concern.
What we do hope is that these periods of remission when the incidence of infectious
diseases is light will in time become lengthened, and the alternative periods when
it is heavy will be decreased in length.
During the year a certain amount of research work was carried out at the
Pathological Laboratory in regard to streptococcal infections, and an account of
this work is given in the Report of the Scientist upon pages 67 to 70.
It is curious to note that during the year two cases of malaria fever were notified.
In both cases, however, the fever was contracted abroad.
During the year I have to report the commencement of a widespread epidemic
of dysentery, but fortunately in Barking there were but two cases notified.