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not guarantee complete protection against the
disease. What we hope, and what indeed we have
found, is that, when a vaccinated child develops
pertussis, the illness is usually mild.
The incidence of food poisoning and dysentery
rose during the year, from a combined total of 18
during 1959 to a total of 40 during 1960.
Sonne dysentery is now endemic in this country,
and control measures must be rigidly applied.
These measures include an adequate provision of
hot water, soap and towels in schools - this is a
matter we are constantly taking up - the teaching
of all children to wash their hands after using
the toilet and before eating food, the supply of
disinfectants to schools when the incidence either
of food poisoning or dysentery increases, and the
use of letters excluding children who have recently
suffered or are suffering from diarrhoea from school
for one week, when more than a few cases have been
reported from that particular school. These
precautions are very necessary because, although
neither food poisoning nor some dysentery can be
said to be a particularly dangerous illness in
school children, we know only too well that such
diseases as poliomyelitis may be spread in precisely
the same way.
No cases of poliomyelitis were notified
during 1960. Our immunisation campaign against
poliomyelitis has continued without abatement. Our
present figures show that more than 90% of Friern
Barnet children have been protected against poliomyelitis
by vaccination, a figure of which we are
particularly proud.
Eleven cases of tuberculosis were notified
during 1960, as against 8 in 1959. Nine of these
were from Friern Hospital. The Mass X-Ray Unit
did not visit Friern Barnet in 1960, but it is hoped
that a visit will be shortly arranged.
Our scheme for the B.C.G. vaccination of
school children continues and is working extremely
well. This work is undertaken by the School
Health Service.
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