View report page

of bed space and nursing manpower which might be otherwise
utilised, and the cost to the community.
ERYSIPELAS.
For the first time no case of erysipelas was notified during
the year.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
There were 2 cases notified as suffering from puerperal
pyrexia, which is the average for recent years. Both were mild
cases following confinement at their homes, and they recovered
quickly without admission to hospital.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
No case of ophthalmia neonatorum was notified.
ENTERIC FEVER.
Only one case of typhoid fever was notified, and no cases of
paratyphoid fever. The patient developed the disease in August
while working in Rhodesia and had not fully recovered when he
landed in England in December. As a result of an exacerbation
of symptoms he was admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases,
all the usual measures for the prevention of the spread of the
disease being taken locally. The type of the organism was Viphage
D.l.
DYSENTERY.
There were 48 notifications of dysentery compared with 22
in 1951, but of these 35 were inmates of one of the Mental
Hospitals and 4 were patients at the other Mental Hospital. All
but one of the mental hospital cases were infected by the Flexner
type of dysentery bacillus and in the second half of the year only
occasional cases were occurring in one hospital. All but one of
the 9 cases notified from among the residents in the District were
cases of the milder Sonne type of dysentery. The majority of
these were associated with an outbreak in the Spring in the Kenley/
Whyteleafe part of the District in which most probably many
more cases of dysentery occurred than suggested by the number
of notified cases.
FOOD POISONING.
During the year 5 single cases were notified, all of whom
were excreting S.typhi murium. In only one case was the probable
source of the infection identified, viz. ducks' eggs and in that
instance two other members of the family had similar symptoms.
Three of the cases were admitted to hospital, and all recovered,
but one persisted in excreting the causal organism for about six
months.
18