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24
POLIOMYELITIS AND ACUTE ENCEPHALITIS.
During the course of the year sixteen cases of poliomyelitis
were notified, varying in degree from slight to severe. 11 cases
were males and 4 females, and 5 cases were under the age of 5 years,
6 between 5 years and 15 years and 5 over the age of 15 years.
All but one of the cases occurred in the second half of the
year and in no instance was there evidence of other members of
the family having associated illness.
FOOD POISONING
Ten cases of food poisoning were notified during the year, but
all were isolated instances and no outbreak occurred.
SONNE DYSENTERY
The incidence of mild dysentery due to Shigella Sonnei, which
rose to a higher level than usual the previous year, showed a reduction
of 76 cases. Most of the 181 cases occurred during the
early months of the year, being a continuance of the outbreak of
the previous Autumn. Only 11 cases were notified from May to
December inclusive. It is believed that the spread of infection
was materially reduced by the steps taken to exclude contacts
from Day Nurseries, Schools and certain occupations, and by the
intensive search for contacts, followed by bacteriological investigation,
and control of those found to be positive, but it put a
considerable strain on the Department and the Laboratory.
TUBERCULOSIS.