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theria by the end of 1942. If the remaining children
'
were immunised, diphtheria as a cause of death could be
excluded.
There were three deaths from whooping cough
during the war and, apart from cerebro-spinal fever and
tuberculosis, whooping cough is the biggest killer of the
infectious diseases. Permission was obtained during the
year from the Ministry of Health to commence an immunisation
scheme against whooping cough. A vaccine
has been prepared which is given at the same time as
the diphtheria prophylactic mixed in the same syringe,
thus necessitating no additional injections. The scheme
was commenced in July and was offered to parents with
children under the age of five. Bv the end of the year
1,296 children had been given the two doses and of these
children 2 only developed whooping cough during the
year, whilst 145 unprotected children of all ages contracted
the disease.
The Borough had been very lightly affected by the
countrywide epidemic of cerebro-spinal fever prior to
1942, but during the year the number of cases was comparable
with those throughout the rest of the country,
and there were five deaths despite the big reduction in
the fatality of this disease since the use of the sulphonamide
drugs.
An expected increase in the number of cases of
scarlet fever occurred, but the disease continues to be
mild, and there were no deaths. The policy of home
isolation where possible was continued and there is no
evidence to show that this policy causes any increase
in the incidence. Almost half the number of cases were
isolated at home. From these there were no return cases,
but there were four from hospital isolated cases.
The increased birth rate meant a busy year in the
child welfare centres and a record total of attendances
and of new attenders. Approximately 90% of the children
born in 1942 attended the clinics at least once.
Two thirds of the expectant mothers attended the antenatal
clinics, and practically all the rest attended clinics
at maternity hospitals outside the Borough or their own
doctors. The attendances for post-natal examinations
showed a marked increase and this service which is intended
to minimise suffering in later years is deservedly
becoming more popular.
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