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12
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
The table on the following page gives the number
of cases which were notified, during the year, and the
age grouping.
Speaking generally, the incidence of Infectious
Disease in the Borough was low, even after making due
allowance for the reduction in population caused by
voluntary evacuation.
It Is worth while to glance for a moment at the
effect of Shelter-life on Infectious Disease. It nay
be said at once that the mere congregation of people in
Public Shelters will not of itself cause an outbreak of
Infectious Disease. If, however, a disease is prevalent
In the district, the congregation of people in Public
Shelters will give additional opportunities for its spread.
Some diseases appear regularly each year, but even these
have a definite seasonal prevalence: Pneumonia, Influenza
and common catarrhal infections are prevalent in the first
three months of the year; Infantile Paralysis is a disease
of the late summer and autumn; Cerebro-spinal Meningitis
occurs chiefly in the winter months. Other diseases, such
as Measles, Diphtheria and Scarlct Fever are with us to
a limited extent all the time, yet they may only appear
in epidemic form at considerable intervals; Measles
usually occurs every other year, in the Spring. Diphtheria,
Scarlet Fever, so far as Beckenham is concerned, have only
been unduly prevalent every sixth or seventh year.
Some of these diseases are notifiable, and so we have
reasonably accurate information about their incidence.
The following table shows notifications of Infectious
Diseases In 1940, in two periods, January to August, when
the Public Shelters were not in use, and September to
December, when they were used to a very large extent night
after night.
Jan. to Aug. Sept. to Dec.
Diphtheria 7 1
Scarlet Fever 48 17
Pneumonia 32 4
Measles 54 115
Cerebro-spinal Meningitis 7
Diphtheria has not been prevalent for several years;
the prevalence of Scarlet Fever has begun to decline after
a high incidence in 1938 and 1939. Measles was prevalent
in the early autumn.
DIPHTHERIA
The number of cases notified was 8, compared with 13
in 1939. 5 cases occurred in the original Beckenham area
and 3 in West Wickham.