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Poliomyelitis and Polioencephalitis.
Seven cases of Poliomyelitis and two cases of Polioencephalitis
were notified.
An isolated case of Poliomyelitis was notified in January, and the
remaining cases occurred in the autumn : these cases were in the Shortlands,
Copers Cope and Langley Park Wards. Detailed investigation
failed to show any connection between the cases, except for the fact that
three occurred in one household—a somewhat unusual state of affairs
In a past annual report (1936) I referred to a condition which I called
Epidemic Vomiting. Subsequently, accounts of this illness were reported
in the medical journals. It is usually a very mild illness which seldom
lasts more than thirty-six hours, and is definitely of an infectious nature;
medical aid is not usually sought and so it is only by chance that out
becomes aware of its existence. I have noted outbreaks on two occasion!
since I first referred to it, and it is curious that on those particular
occasions it was followed by the occurrence of a few cases of poliomyelitis.
As mentioned above, knowledge of its existence is incomplete,
but it seems to be most prevalent in the summer months. It
enquiring into the cases of poliomyelitis this year, I found that epidemic
nausea and vomiting had been present in one of the areas shortly before
poliomyelitis appeared. I do not believe that the infection in epidemic
vomiting is a gastro-intestinal one, but suggest that it may be duetoai
affection of the central nervous system—possibly of the centres in the
brain stem. This is at present just a suggestion, though the sudden
explosive character of the vomiting closely resembles the vomiting
which is produced by the injection of the drug known as Apomorphine
The apparent association is perhaps just coincidental: epidemic
vomiting almost certainly occurs quite often, though it is seldom
reported ; whilst cases of definite poliomyelitis are comparatively rare
Moreover I was not aware of any outbreak of this particular kind of
vomiting occurring in the weeks preceding the large incidence of poliomyelitis
in 1947.
Still, it would be interesting to know whether any association
between the two conditions has been observed in other districts.
Measles.
The number of cases notified was 318 compared with 253 in 19ft
The incidence of Measles is still irregular and unpredictable.
I append charts showing the annual incidence of measles in the ten
years preceding the war, and in the nine years since 1940.
The child population was constantly on the move during the war
years, and this may have been the cause for the alteration of the regular
periodicity of the pre-war years. During the last three years, the
population has been more stable, but there is still no sign of the incident
reverting to its previous regularity.
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