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at home. Unfortunately one case, who continued to work in spite of
his illness, died.
Pneumonia.
The number of cases of acute primary or influenzal pneumonia
notified again decreased from 20 and 13 in the last 2 years to 5, this being
the lowest experienced since 1926. All the cases were adults and apparently
unconnected. A total of 33 deaths occurred from all forms of pneumonia
but it is believed that no deaths occurred among the 5 notified
cases.
Measles.
This disease was again very prevalent, 600 cases being notified
compared with 567 last year, and 141 and 705 in the two preceding years.
As the majority of cases occurred in the opening months of the year
they can be regarded as an extension of the peak in 1948, although there
were, as usual, very few cases in the second half of that year. Peaks
appear to occur locally every third year, previous peaks being in 1942
and 1945. This being so, a low incidence can be expected in 1950, with
the next rise commencing in 1951.
Only a small proportion of the cases could be visited owing to the
high number concerned, preference being given to the youngest and those
most likely to need advice.
The disease was present in Selsdon, Sanderstead and Purley in
January and very prevalent in the two latter during the following months.
Commencing in Old Couldson in February it was fairly prevalent for
the following three months, but the remainder of the District and especially
the Chipstead Valley had relatively few cases.
Nearly half the cases were in pre-school children, and the proportion
of these who suffered was highest in Sanderstead (which had one-third
of all the cases), and Old Coulsdon.
At least 3 cases were admitted to hospital. Unfortunately, in the
case of one school child, who was handicapped by a congenital heart
defect, the complications of measles caused death.
Whooping Cough.
After a peak in the year 1948 with 201 notified cases, the decrease
to 42 cases in 1949 was not unexpected. These cases were fairly evenly
distributed over the District, only Selsdon and Kenley having single cases.
The majority of the cases, about half of whom were pre-school children,
occurred from March to June. No cases are known to have been admitted
to hospital, and none died from the disease.
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Food Poisoning.
Two notifications of food poisoning were accepted as being probably
correct, although in one of these no positive bacteriological results were
obtained from the patient or suspected food. In the other the patient's
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