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PREVALENCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Measles and Whooping Cough.
These diseases were made compulsorily notifiable in October, 1939.
253 cases of Measles and 261 cases of Whooping Cough were notified during
the year. There was one death from Measles and 4 deaths from Whooping
Cough.
Diphtheria.
I am happy to report the continued low incidence of this disease. Thirty
cases were notified during the year compared with 92 in 1943. There were
no deaths.
Scarlet Fever.
This disease continued to occur throughout the year in a mild form;
there were 256 cases compared with 540 in 1943 ; there were no deaths.
" Return " cases numbered 2 allowing for an interval of 28 days between
a patient returning home from the Isolation Hospital and the onset of the
disease in another inmate of the house.
Smallpox.
No cases of smallpox were notified during the year.
Poliomyelitis.
No cases of this disease were notified during the year.
Dysentery.
Ninety-nine cases were notified during the year of the Sonne type, and
investigation failed to reveal the cause of infection. The increase of this
disease over 1943 was due to an outbreak occurring in the North Middlesex
County Hospital during the first two months of the year (52 cases). There
were no deaths from this disease.
Cerebro Spinal Fever.
Seven cases were notified during the year. These cases were carefully
investigated and precautions taken to prevent the spread of infection. Two
deaths took place.
Puerperal Pyrexia and Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
These are referred to later on under the heading of Maternity and Child
Welfare.
Food Poisoning.
No cases were notified during the year.
Pneumonia.
Forty-four cases were notified during the year.
Diarrhoea and Enteritis under 2 years of age.
The death rate per 1,000 live births for London was 10.1 whilst that for
Edmonton was 2.6 as compared with 10.4 and 7.29 respectively last year.
IMMUNISATION.
Diphtheria.
During the year, 1,280 appointments were made—1,115 children completed
treatment under the Council's arrangements; of these 858 were under
5 years of age. Twenty-three children were Schick tested. In 1943, 2,671
children completed immunisation treatment.
Measles.
Measles Immune Globulin. None was issued to general practitioners during
the year.
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