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Tuberculosis
The number of cases on the Register continues to fall and the notifications
of pulmonary tuberculosis are also falling. In 1957 the notifications rate was
about 10% above that for the County of Middlesex, while in 1962 it was slightly
lower than the County rate. The improvement is due to vigorous work by the local
Chest Clinic and its staff, to case finding by the Mass X-Ray Unit and to the
progress of the slum clearance and smoke control programmes. Examination of
Table T.l shows that tuberculosis is still a risk throughout life and that B.C.G.
vaccination has not entirely reduced the risk in the teens and twenties. Women
tend to contract tuberculosis in early middle-age while in men it is more common
in later years.
Epidemic Vomiting
In November 1962 there was an outbreak of epidemic vomiting at the Open
Air School, Edmonton. 60 children were affected. Exclusion of all affected
children for one week appeared to halt the epidemic and there has been no further
instances of this disease in this school.
Smallpox
3,681 International Certificates of Vaccination were issued by the Edmonton
Health Department during 1962. This was in part a reflection on the smallpox
outbreaks in London, Birmingham, Wales and Yorkshire.
Influenza Vaccination
Influenza vaccination was offered free to employees and staff and in
October 312 people were vaccinated. There were at that time 1,100 employees and
staff. Between the 1st November 1962 and 31st March, 1963, 21 of the 312 persons
vaccinated suffered from respiratory disease while 128 of the 788 persons not
vaccinated suffered from respiratory disease. The rate of respiratory disease in
the unvaccinated was about twice that in the vaccinated. Judging by the medical
certificates the protection against influenza was even better since 38 of the
unvaccinated suffered from influenza and only 8 of the vaccinated. In 1962/63
there was, of course, an exceptionally severe winter and the protection given to
the vaccinated was therefore particularly useful.
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