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5
and come within the category of early neonatal deaths and
were due to prematurity, congenital malformation, and
atelectasis (collapse of the lung).
In regard to infectious disease, apart from the biennial
measles epidemic which began in 1958 (614 cases) and
continued into 1959 (160 cases), we had much to be thankful
for. For the tenth year in succession no case of diphtheria
occurred in the Borough but it is, however, essential
that the public should be constantly reminded of the fact
that diphtheria has only been contained by immunisationit
has not been abolished and its return as a killing disease
is quite likely should the level of immunisation be allowed
to fall to a sufficiently low level. The duty of parents is
plain. They should have their children immunised without
fail at the age of eight to nine months with booster doses at five
years and 10 years. It is estimated that, at present, about
half the children under the age of 15 years are at risk
through non-immunisation should the disease light up
again in our midst.
In my report for 1958 I reported that there had only
been one case of poliomyelitis (non-paralytic) and expressed
the hope that the mass immunisation of children and young
persons might result in the gradual overcoming of this
disease. While over-optimism would be out of place, it is
recorded with satisfaction that no case of poliomyelitis
occurred during 1959. As in the case of diphtheria, parents
and young adults must ensure that the younger section of
the population is kept at a high stage of vaccination against
this disease. It is authoritively accepted that the effectiveness
of the vaccines now used exceeds 90% for those
persons receiving three or more doses of the vaccine.
Tuberculosis is generally recognised to be a waning
disease and it is at this stage in the natural history of a
disease that most effective measures towards its eradication
can be taken. The number of new cases of tuberculosis
notified during 1959 was 37 compared with 35 cases in 1958
and 53 in 1957. In view of this obvious reservoir of infection
the Councils of Erith, Bexley and Crayford, in conjunction
with the South East London Mass Radiography
Service, in the latter part of 1959, set up the necessary
machinery to carry out a concentrated mass radiography
survey in the area of the three Authorities in the Summer
of 1960. A full account of this survey will be given in the
report for 1960 but it can be said, at the time of writing,
that approximately 43,000 persons were X-rayed as part
of this campaign. Added to the fact that many thousands