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HEALTH SERVICES IN THE AREA INCLUDING CONTROL
OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Infectious Diseases.
Following the extremely small number of cases of measles
in 1960, a correspondingly large epidemic started in January.
1961 and 1,804 cases had been notified by the end of the
demic. Fortunately there were no deaths and only a small proportion
of cases developed complications which required hospital
treatment.
Dysentery was reported from a day nursery school in January
and Shigella Sonnei was isolated from 17 children and 3 staff.
They were all treated successfully by their family doctors and
there has been no further trouble. There is a certain amount of
"winter vomiting" (so-called), a virus infection which has a
rapid onset and short duration. Unfortunately it is not notifiable
so that it is not possible to assess the extent of occurrence.
The death of a baby from haemolytlc streptococcal infection
started off a bacteriological hunt in a local maternity unit
which lasted most of the year. It was found eventually that one
of the staff was an intermittent carrier of the germ and necessary
action was taken.
Immunisation and Vaccination.
It has become apparent during the last few years that the
increase in foreign travel is having an effect on the spread of
Smallpox to countries which have virtually forgotton its
existence. At least once a year an incident occurs in which
someone suspected of having Smallpox enters one of the United
Kingdom ports and there ensues a great deal of fuss and trouble
while contacts are traced, supervised and hastily vaccinated.
Much of this could be avoided if a sufficiently large proportion
of the population was vaccinated in infancy (when the effects
are minimal) and re-vaccinated at intervals (when the effects
are again minimal) especially if travel abroad is contemplated.
At Christmas 1961 a traveller suffering from unsuspected Smallpox
Passed through London Airport. This traveller was followed
at short intervals by other unsuspected cases, and I hope I may
be forgiven for anticipating my report for 1962 and commenting
on the state of panic which then arose both locally and
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