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Measles.
There was a slight increase in the number of cases of measles notified
during the year, from 141 in 1946 to 218 in 1947, but this was well
below the record total of 705 in 1945.
Two cases were admitted to the Isolation Hospital, one being a
baby of 10 weeks and the other a young child with both measles and
whooping cough. Both recovered, and, in fact, no deaths from this
disease occurred.
The arguments against the compulsory notification of measles and
whooping cough in a District such as this were fully stated in the
Annual Report for 1945, but the views then expressed have produced
no result. As a result, further increases in notifications can be expected,
involving increased expenditure in notification fees without any resultant
benefit. It is regretted that it was not made optional for each District
to decide whether these diseases should be compulsorily notifiable, as
in the case of chicken pox.
Whooping Cough.
During 1947 there were 115 cases of whooping cough notified,
compared with 31 in 1946 and 100 in 1945. Four cases were admitted
to the Isolation Hospital, one being the case of measles referred to above.
The others were children of 5 years, 2 months (with convulsions) and
11 months. All recovered, there being no deaths from this disease
during the year.
Tuberculosis.