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PNEUMONIA.
There were 32 cases of Acute Influenzal or Primary Pneumonia
notified as compared with 20 in 1934, and 28 in 1933. As, however,
18 of these occurred in the two Mental Hospitals, the number of cases
notified in the remainder of the District was 14 as compared with 6,
7, 12, and 8 in the preceding four years.
One case was removed to Hospital.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
There were no cases notified during 1935.
It will be seen by the Table at the beginning of this Section that
the case-rates for infectious disease have remained low compared with
the Country as a whole. As pointed out in previous Reports, it is difficult
to prevent these diseases in a District such as this, having very frequent
contact with London, Croydon and the surrounding districts, especially
with the mild and often unrecognised form of Scarlet Fever now prevalent.
The fact that during the year in only 10 instances did secondary cases
follow primary ones in the home (several of these being swab positive
only), suggests that the limitation of cases has continued satisfactorily.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The group of non-notifiable Infectious Diseases, with the exception
of Influenza, caused no deaths during the year 1935, which was a fairly
mild year as far as these diseases were concerned. Influenza accounted
for 14 deaths in adults, almost all of whom were over 50 years of age.
Apart from the death returns, the only source of information as to the
presence of outbreaks of non-notifiable Infectious Diseases are the returns
received from the public elementary schools.
As judged by these, the only outbreaks of note were:—
CHICKEN POX was present in Purley in January, Coulsdon in March
and April, and Selsdon in June and July, in each case being moderately widespread.
MUMPS.—Isolated cases occurred throughout the District until April,
followed from February to July, by a fair number of cases in Purley, with
a few cases in Kenley and Coulsdon.
MEASLES.—Comparatively few cases occurred scattered over most parts
of the District between January and May.
WHOOPING COUGH.—A moderate outbreak occurred in Selsdon,
chiefly in June and July.
Home visitation and exclusion from school are the two chief
measures relied upon to postpone the onset until a more favourable
age is reached to stand the disease. Treatment in Hospital is provided
for a limited number of cases, and 2 cases of Measles were admitted to
the Isolation Hospital during the year under this arrangement, social
or physical complications being present.
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