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Friern Barnet co-operated with the Central
Public Health Laboratory at Colindale in collecting
and sending for examination, every week, the stools
of selected infants. This was part of an extensive
enquiry into the possible existence of carriers
of the poliomyelitis virus. No virus was discovered
among all the specimens sent for examination.
Measles.
One hundred and six cases of measles were
notified during the year as against 441 in 1957.
As with scarlet fever, severity was extremely mild,
admission to hospital not being required in any of
these cases. This contrasts very favourably with
the position not so very long ago, when serious
complications such as broncho-pneumonia and middle
ear disease were all too common.
Pertussis. (Whooping Cough).
Sixteen cases of pertussis were notified
during the year, as against 42 in 1957.
It is too soon yet to say whether our policy
of advising parents to have their children immunised
against pertussis during the first six months of life
is having a substantial effect. The decrease in
notifications over the past few years, however, does
give us reason to believe that this is, in fact, the
case. We also know that, even when a case of
pertussis (whooping cough) occurs in a child who has
been immunised, the disease is mild, complications,
once so very serious, being virtually unknown.
I have always been a very strong believer in immunisation
against pertussis. I am glad to think that
this policy may now be paying handsome dividends.
Puerperal Pyrexia
No cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified
during 1958.
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