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The above table shows that school children were reasonably free
from infectious disease during the year. The figures for measles,
german measles, whooping cough and chickenpox are based on the
number of children excluded from school for these complaints.
These diseases are not notifiable in Enfield. Mumps continued all
the year round but it was only in the latter part of the year that measles
appeared. There was a reduction in the number of cases of scarlet
fever notified, but an increase in those of diphtheria. Most of the
cases of diphtheria were spread throughout the year, with the exception
of the last three months when there was an increase in the rate of
notification.
I still continue to immunise a small number of school children
against diphtheria and there is a limited call from the medical practitioners
of Enfield for material to carry out immunisation. I can
only repeat, however, my remarks of previous years, that the number
of children immunised against diphtheria in Enfield is insufficient.
I am not satisfied myself that the lowered number of cases of
diphtheria that has been recorded for the past five years is due to better
social conditions, better housing, better environment, purer water
supplies, better drainage, nor increased purity of the food. I think
that it is purely and simply a matter of chance, and that a time will
come when diphtheria will once more be prevalent in Enfield in
virulent form. Should such a time arise, the increased urbanisation
of the district will favour the spread of the disease. Every parent
who desires to give his child protection against disease should take
advantage of the increase in medical knowledge which has made
diphtheria a preventable disease, and arrange for his children to be
immunised either through the services of the medical practitioners or
the amenities provided by the council.
DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF SPREAD OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Close co-operation exists between the School Medical Department
and the Public Health Department, whereby when either becomes
aware of infectious disease in any school, house or district, the other