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What the ultimate results of mass immunisation will be it is probably
unwise to forecast, but the generally accepted view at the present time
is that it is reasonable to provide facilities for immunisation for those
who desire to avail themselves, thereby aiming at producing safely and
quickly an immunity which the fortunate would develop naturally in
the course of years, in order to protect those who would otherwise be
unfortunate and succumb to this disease before gaining the required
immunity.
ENTERIC FEVER.
Three cases of Enteric Fever were notified as compared with one
last year and an average of 5 for the preceding five years. The first
case was one of Typhoid diagnosed and treated in a London Hospital.
The other cases, which occurred in July and August, were of Paratyphoid,
one being treated at home and the other in hospital.
In no case was the origin of the disease traced and all the cases
recovered.
A further case suspected of being Typhoid Fever proved to be one
of Undulant Fever.
SCARLET FEVER.
The wave of Scarlet Fever which began in 1934 and continued
throughout 1935 did not diminish as rapidly as was expected. A further
117 cases occurred during 1936, as compared with 124 in 1935, and 119,
69, and 29 in the preceding three years. As, however, 90 per cent.
of the cases occurred in the first six months of the year, it is probable
that 1937 will see a distinct improvement in the incidence of this disease.
More than half the cases in 1936 occurred in the Coulsdon West
Ward, which was the Ward most affected in 1934, although Woodcote
had the highest percentage in 1935. As a result of this distribution,
as might be expected, a higher proportion were treated in hospital,
there being 102 cases so treated.
The number of cases occurring in Institutions was less than in
1935, only 2 cases occurring in a Mental Hospital and 1 in the Orphanage.
About half of the cases were in persons not in attendance at schools,
while of those of school age more than one-quarter originated in one
public elementary school. It should not, however, be assumed that
infection necessarily occurred during school hours, although this was
probable in a few cases. Six cases were "Return Cases" following
discharge of convalescents from hospital.
The disease remained mild in type, no deaths having resulted in
the last four years, while only 5 deaths from Scarlet Fever occurred in
the preceding ten years 1923-32.
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