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2. MEASLES AND WHOOPING COUGH.
At the end of July the Council authorised, the supply of
placental serum for the prevention of Measles to general
practitioners at cost price, except in respect of children under
5 years of age where the family income was below a specified and
very low level. During the last five months of the year,
however, there were only very few cases of Measles and no
advantage was taken of this very United scheme.
Unfortunately, although this preparation is more durable
than its predecessors, its reliability and the necessity for
giving it within a very short time of the onset of the disease
limit its value very considerably as a method of prevention which
can be generally adopted and urged.
It is also unfortunate that the position with regard to
immunisation against Whooping Cough appears to be somewhat
similar, although apparently a considerable amount of research
work is being done on the subject. Until more reliable
materials can be produced, comparable with those used for the
prevention of Diphtheria, both in their ability to reduce the
disease and the length of time immunity lasts, the administrative
difficulties are such that not much progress can be expected in
reducing these diseases.
Notification under the Measles ad Whooping Cough Order
1940, has but very limited value in a District such as this. By
the time Notifications are received the disease is well
established and preventive inoculations are useless. It is
usually too late to give advice on prevention of the spread of
the disease. Advice is therefore limited to that on nursing the
case. The families which call in a Doctor and are subsequently
notified are those least needing advice and the very cases who
might most benefit by visitation are the ones least likely to be
notified. Such families will, however, often accept
Diphtheria immunisation, and could therefore be expected to cooperate
in a scheme for general immunisation against other
diseases, particularly Whooping Cough, which is of considerable
inconvenience to a family. The day is therefore eagerly
anticipated when stable and easily procurable preventive vaccines
or sera can be used at immunisation clinics with freedom from reactions,
and a. guarantee of an effective and lasting immunity,
for at least the majority, against these diseases.
3. SCARLET FEVER.
In view of the widely, spread epidemic of Scarlet Fever
towards the end of the year and the relative shortage of hospital
beds, Sulphonamides were again used, as in 1940, in an endeavour
to delay and, if possible, curtail the spread of the. disease in
a large residential institution. Without being able to produce
conclusive statistics it was again thought that both objects
were achieved. Certainly it appeared that a number of cases
were postponed until a later date when hospital accommodation was
available, which was the chief object on this occasion.
4. TYPHUS FEVER.
Negotiations with the Ministry of Health, the County
Council adjoining Local Authorities and the Joint Hospital
Board, were commenced during the year with a view to providing
for the treatment of cases of Typhus should these arise and the
prevention of the spread of the disease. Arrangements for
treatment, the responsibility for which was accepted by the
County Council, wore concluded during the year, but endeavours
to make corporate arrangements for delousing contacts and their
possessions in the face of a threatened Typhus epidemic ran a
more protracted course and were not terminated successfully until
1944.