View report page

19
Poliomyelitis and Encephalitis:- The 23 cases admitted may be
classified as follows:-
Non-paralytic Meningitic 7 Paralytic Spinal paralysis 9
Encephalitic 3 Bulbar 2
Spinal and
Encephalitic 1
Spinal and Bulbar 1
One of the bulbar cases required postural drainage. There
were no deaths. There was the usual seasonal incidence, all cases
occurring from June onwards, with maximum incidence in October.
New Addington and West Croydon were the areas most affected.
Though the number of cases was less than in the previous year,
the incidence of severely paralysed patients was greater, five
cases being so classifiable. For the first time, facilities for
virus isolation were available. Specimens of faeces were sent for
virus culture from 18 of the cases in the above classified list.
Of these 9 gave positive results, all poliovirus Type 1. It would
appear that no definite conclusion can be drawn from a negative
result, as some of the negative results were obtained from obvious
clinical cases. They included all four adults from whom specimens
were sent. The tendency to get fewer positive results from adults
has been noted elsewhere. Another limitation to the clinical
value of faecal culture is the delay of upwards of one week in
obtaining results.
Other Infections: - Of the meningitis cases, 6 were meningococcal,
2 haemophilus and 1 pneumococcal. The pneumococcal case proved
fatal, contributing causes being senility, pulmonary fibrosis
and cor pulmonale. There was one fatal case of infectious hepatitis,
a boy, aged nine years, admitted in hepatic coma who died
within 24 hours of admission. Food poisoning cases consisted of
4 salmonella typhi-murium infections, 2 salmonella enteritidis and
3 in which the cause was not ascertained. There was one fatal
case of salmonella enteritidis septicaemia. 12 of the 14 mumps
cases were admitted in November and December, when the disease
appeared particularly prevalent. They included 2 cases of meningoencephalitis.
Influenza cases were admitted mainly in March.
Fatal Cases:- There were 27 deaths as follows:- 7 deaths from
Pulmonary tuberculosis, 5 from pneumonia, 3 each from gastroenteritis
and bronchial carcinoma and 1 each from measles, infective
hepatitis, pneumococcal meningitis, cerebral haemorrhage,
royocardiac degeneration, chronic nephritis, carcinoma of the
larynx, bronchitis and senility.