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post-war average of 39. (Nationally it was 40 in 1949, 32 in 1950,
28 in 1951 and 21 in 1952.)
The incidence of new cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis
remained at 6 per 100,000 population compared with 11 in 1950,
and the post-war average of 12. There were 3 deaths from this
form of tuberculosis, which is slightly above the post-war average
of 2.5.
The Council continues to be responsible for two measures
aimed at combating this disease, viz., rehousing and disinfection,
but the County Council bears the responsibility for all other preventive
measures except the treatment of cases, which has passed
to the Regional Hospital Boards. A scheme for the immunisation
of certain sections of the population is being practised, while
special measures are taken to examine all contacts among school
children of infectious cases.
The Mass X-ray Unit operated for a period during the Autumn
in South Croydon, this being the best site which could be obtained
to deal with those most needing examination in the area.
The local Tuberculosis Clinic is held every Monday from 2-4
p.m. at the Surrey County Council Clinic, 62 Whytecliffe Road,
Purley, while an additional session has been added. The selfcontained
Chest Clinic which it is proposed to build in the
Purley Hospital grounds is long overdue and badly needed.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936, SECTION 172.
PUBLIC HEALTH (PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS)
REGULATIONS, 1925.
No action has been required under these powers during
recent years.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
The group of non-notifiable infectious diseases again accounted
for very few deaths, even influenza only causing 2 deaths during
1952.
Apart from the death returns, the only information as to the
presence of outbreaks of non-notifiable infectious disease is obtained
from the returns from the nurseries and public elementary
schools. As judged by these, there were no severe outbreaks, and
the only waves of note were chickenpox, which chiefly affected Old
Coulsdon and Purley in the late Spring, and mumps, chiefly at
Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon in the Spring and Kenley in the
Summer, with some cases of rubella at Kenley, Purley and Sanderstead
in early Summer. No case of ringworm was reported.
Home visitation and exclusion from school are still the two
chief methods relied upon to prevent the spread of these diseases.
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