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Schemes are being carried out for the immunisation of certain
sections of the population, and for tracing contacts of infectious
cases among school children. Reference is made later in this
Report to the B.C.G. immunisation of certain school children.
The Mass X-Ray Unit which last visited the District in June,
1953, revisited Purley and Coulsdon in June, 1955. Nearly 4,000
persons attended and at least 4 new cases of active pumonary
tuberculosis were discovered. In addition it is known that an
appreciable proportion of the residents take advantage of X-Ray
facilities in London or the surrounding districts each year.
There is still no sign of progress in the erection of the anticipated
self-contained Chest Clinic which it is hoped will be built
in Purley Hospital grounds. The provision of this Clinic is
urgently required as the County Council Clinic is being seriously
over-used.
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 including influenza
again accounted for very few deaths.
Excluding 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 very few cases of german
measles and mumps in the schools, only one small outbreak of
the latter occuring in Kenley. On the other hand quite a number
of cases of chicken-pox occurred, mainly in Old Coulsdon in the
Spring and Autumn and to a smaller extent in the Chipstead
Valley where the previous Autumn's outbreak subsided in the
Spring.
Home visitation and exclusion from school are still the two
chief methods relied upon to prevent the spread of these diseases.
Treatment in hospital is provided when required owing to social
or physical complications being present, but records of these admissions
are rarely received.
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