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44
In December (five weeks ending 27th December), 1919, there were 339
cases in 270 houses.
In January, there were 37 cases in 31 houses.
During February, 17 cases in 15 houses and in March 31 cases in 28 houses.
The drop was probably due to notices in the press of the withdrawal of
notification.
Measles Regulations, 1915.—On the 27th November, 1919, an
Order of the Ministry of Health was issued, withdrawing at the end of 1919
these Regulations. On my advice, the Council decided to obtain an Order continuing
the Regulations up to March 31st, 1920.
An Order of the Ministry of Health, dated 31st December, 1919, continued
the Regulations as desired. In January, 1920, I advised that compulsory notification
be continued permanently, or at least until the end of 1920, but no
action was taken thereon. I distributed to the Councillors copies of a leaflet
on the subject (which are distributed by the Health Visitors amongst affected
families) in the forlorn hope that the perusal would give them (judging from the
respective death-rates) an idea of the really serious nature of measles, compared
with scarlet fever or diphtheria.
On May 5th, I again urged the Council to renew compulsory notification
and on July 13th the Education Committee also appealed to the Council; in
September the Public Health Committee recommended it, but on October 27th
the Ministry of Health replied that they would be prepared to entertain the idea
when the Council's arrangements for treatment and supervision were complete;
so further action was postponed until domiciliary nursing was established in our
district.
PUBLIC HEALTH (AeUTE ENCEPHALITIS LETHAR
GICA and acute polio-encephalitis
REGULATIONS, 1918,
which were originally only in force for 1919, were, by circular of the Ministry
of Health, dated 31st December, 1919, continued until further notice.
Two cases of encephalitis lethargica were notified in 1920.