View report page

Out of 83 cases of whooping cough, none were admitted to hospital.
During the past 10 years the number of cases of this disease admitted to
hospital in the year has never been more than 2. For the sixth year in
succession there have been no cases of diphtheria. No suspected case of
smallpox was reported, but contacts of suspected cases removed from
ship to Port on route to London were visited daily until either the
diagnosis was disproved or the necessary sixteen days supervision of
contacts was completed. In all cases contacts had been vaccinated before
arrival in Beckenham.
Full investigations of 11 cases of food poisoning were carried out.
One family outbreak was of interest in the isolation from the suspected
food of a food poisoning strain of organism. One adult aged 81 years
soon recovered after admission to hospital, but no growth was obtained
in vomit, faeces or blood culture. Examination of faeces of the other
adults remaining at home were also negative. The investigations
confirmed the suspicion that this was a toxic food poisoning. The corned
beef stored in a larder had been opened and eaten immediately.
During the year, of the remaining 7 cases investigated, Salmonella
Typhimurium was found in two instances, and no organisms in the others.
In all these enquiries, I should like to commend the assistance of the
Chief Sanitary Inspector, and the other Inspectors.
A Table has been included in this year's Report to shew the incidence
of minor sickness based on illness of more than three days duration.
January to March inclusive are the months of greatest ill health.
The figures for vaccination and inoculation in Beckenham are now
excellent—1,310 diphtheria immunisations, 841 smallpox vaccinations,
and 57 B.C.G. vaccinations against tuberculosis were carried out. It is
important to recognise that B.C.G. vaccination is only performed at the
Chest Clinic on child contacts who are Mantoux skin test negative and
whose parents agree to their vaccination. Relating this to the number of
adults who were new cases at the Dispensary, the response was excellent.
It is important that this measure should be a success, for there is a feeling
to-day that while treatment of Tuberculosis has improved enormously,
there is as yet, not so great a result from preventive measures. However,
Dr. Madigan reports a downward trend so that in this area the position is
more satisfactory than elsewhere. An informed public is largely responsible
for this satisfactory trend and no small credit is due to Dr. Madigan's
guidance of the Care Committee whose Chairman is Mrs. Porter, local
area organiser of the Women's Voluntary Service. At these meetings
which I have attended, representatives of six or more voluntary organisations,
including Works welfare representatives, have conferred with the
medical side which includes Tuberculosis Health Visitors, Social
Workers and Almoners from local hospitals. Besides helping individual
patients and their families, this has afforded continuous health education
5