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Scarlet Fever
There were 188 cases of scarlet fever notified and the attack rate was 0.66 per
1,000 of the population.
There were no deaths.
Other cases of haemolytic streptococcal infection of the throat became known
to the department, and in those infected with type 12, which may be associated with
nephritis, special investigations of the patients' urine were advised.
Erysipelas
There were 24 cases of erysipelas notified and the attack rate was 0.08 per
1,000 of the population.
There were no deaths.
Whooping Cough
There were 73 cases of whooping cough notified and the attack rate was 0.27
per 1,000 of the population.
There were no deaths.
Dysentery
There were 467 cases of dysentery notified and the attack rate was 1.73 per
1,000 of the population.
There were no deaths.
There were a few outbreaks amongst children in nurseries and primary schools
and in two instances a food handler was found to be infected. The prompt visiting
of such premises, on the occurrence of cases, by the Director of the Laboratory, the
Principal Medical Officer (School Health), and the Public Health Inspector, resulted
in the immediate institution of successful rigid specific hygienic measures, based on
bacteriological and other findings.
Food Poisoning
There were 26 cases of food poisoning notified and the attack rate was 0.09 per
1,000 of the population.
There were no deaths.
Two cases occurred simultaneously in one family, but all the others were single
cases.
The causative organism was salmonella typhi-murim in nine cases, other
salmonellae in eight cases, and the cause was unknown in nine cases.
Nine samples of food were examined bacteriologically in connection with suspected
food poisoning incidents, but no intestinal pathogens were found.
Acute encephalitis
Two young children, aged one-and-a-half and four years, suffered from this
illness, but neither case was fatal.
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