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The hospitalisation of cases has justifiably decreased, only 33
cases being admitted in 1953 (Wandle Valley 17, Bletchingley 12,
Cuddington 2 and Waddon and The Grove one each). Probably
this proportion could be still further reduced without detriment
to the cases or increasing the risk of spread. The possibility of
serious complications occasionally arising should not be forgotten,
however, when cases are being treated at home.
Of the 85 cases treated at home 9 were secondary cases
occurring in the same house, and the vast majority of these were
infected before hospitalisation of the first case would have been
practicable.
ERYSIPELAS.
Only three isolated cases occurred in the summer, one of
which was admitted to Hospital. All recovered.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
There were three cases notified during the year, all of whom
had been confined at home by midwives. Each was admitted to
hospital and recovered.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM.
For the third year in succession no case was notified.
ENTERIC FEVER.
No confirmed case was notified during the year, but two
suspected cases of paratyphoid were admitted to hospital. In one
the illness was shown to have been due to a pelvic abscess, while
the other gave completely negative findings.
DYSENTERY.
A total of 13 cases of dysentery were notified, compared with
48 and 22 in the two preceding years. Of this number 7 were
due to the Flexner bacillus and occurred among the inmates of one
of the mental hospitals, 6 being notified in the first three months
of the year and one in May. The remaining 6 cases were due to
the milder Sonne bacillus, and of these two occurred simultaneously
at one mental hospital. Of the other four, two were sisters
attending a nursery school which had several cases of diarrhoea
and they were admmitted to hospital in view of their home
conditions. The remaining two cases were isolated ones, though
one may have been associated with some unrecognised cases in
Kenley in the Spring.
FOOD POISONING.
Not more than seven cases of suspected food poisoning were
notified during the year, three being isolated individuals and the
others, two couples. Four of the cases were admitted to hospital
and one was shown to have had a staphylococcal infection
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