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Scarlet Fever.
Continued to occur throughout the year in a mild form. There were 318
cases compared with 189 in 1951; there were no deaths.
"Return" cases numbered four, 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.
Enteric Fever.
Several hundred Army Cadets from the London Area attended camp at
Felixstowe between 28th July and 10th August, 1952. An Edmonton lad
from the local contingent was admitted to hospital on 24th August and was
subsequently diagnosed to be suffering from Paratyphoid "B."
Following receipt of this information contact was made with the Ministry
of Health, the Medical Officer of Health, Felixstowe, Secretary of the Middlesex
Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association, and the Commanding Officer
of the Edmonton T.A. Centre.
The names and addresses of those attending camp and living in the East
Middlesex Area were obtained and circulated to the Local Authorities concerned.
Faeces and urine specimens were obtained from those who attended the
camp from the Edmonton T.A. Centre, and eight "carriers" were discovered,
all were admitted to hospital, the last on 20th September.
Specimens were obtained from the family contacts and apart from the
eight "carriers" above referred to, the rest of the Edmonton Cadets submitted
"negative" results.
Despite exhaustive enquiries both at the camp and in Edmonton, the
source of infection was not discovered.
The remaining case of Paratyphoid "B" notified during the year was
in a man of 59 years. Investigations failed to reveal any connection with
the above-mentioned cases.
Dysentery.
During the year 176 cases of Dysentery were notified—124 Sonne, 28
Giardia, 22 Sal. Typhi-Murium and 2 Sal. Newport.
This figure shows a considerable reduction compared with 1951, when
661 cases of dysentery were notified.
There was no major outbreak in 1952, the disease occurring throughout
the year in a mild form. The control measures, detailed in my Report for
1950, were maintained, and again I wish to record my appreciation of the
co¬operation and assistance I received from the General Practitioners, Dr. M.
Thomas and Staff of the Public Health Laboratory Service (Edmonton),
Education Department and Teachers, and the Staff of the Health Department.
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