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SECTION V.
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Table XXXII gives the figures for ages and wards.
Scarlet Fever was not so prevalent as in 1931; the largest
incidence has been in Waddon, West Thornton, East, Upper Norwood,
South Norwood and Whitehorse Manor Wards. Based on
the estimated ward populations, the case rate for these wards was
respectively, 276, 303, 297, 158, 171, 181; and 186 per 100,000 of
the population. The age group 5-15 years, as usual, suffered most;
cases in this group comprising 56.9% of the total.
Diphtheria was not so prevalent as in 1931, most cases occurred
in West Thornton (91) and Waddon (88). Once again the age
group 5-15 years gave the highest figures.
One case only of Small Pox occurred, in the Waddon Ward.
There were 13 cases of Puerperal Fever and 33 of Puerperal
Pyrexia; 21 occurred in the age group 16-25 years and 23 in the
age group 26-45 years. A majority of the cases occurred in women
having their first confinement.
All the notifiable infectious diseases showed a decreased incidence
with the exception of Acute Primary Pneumonia, Erysipelas,
Ophthalmia Neonatorum and to a minor degree Enteric Fever and
Poliomyelitis.
The incidence of the commoner infectious diseases in Croydon
during the past nine years is of interest.
Scarlet Fever has shown a succession of shallow waves of
incidence with a distinct trend towards an aggregate increase. The
periods of maximum intensity have been in 1924, June and July:
1925, March, April and May; 1926, May, June and July; 1927.
April, May and June; 1928, January and February, with another
in November and December. 1929, a gradual increase throughout
the year without any intermissions. 1930 and 1931, the incidence
was relatively constant, with a slight decline in the number of
cases in August and September. During 1932 there was a steady
increase in cases until the beginning of May when the incidence
fell rapidly and remained low until the beginning of a new wave in
November. The weekly average of cases throughout the year was
8.3.