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2.
The next most common cause was associated with diseases of the respiratory
system, namely Pnuemonia and Bronchitis.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The following Table shows the numbers of notifications of the principal
infectious diseases recoivcd during the years 1940 and 1941s-

It will be seen that Measles and Whooping Cough were prevalent in 1941,
but generally these diseases were mild in character. nevertheless 3 children died
from Measles and 6 from Whooping Cough. Within the limits of available accommodation
complicated cases were admitted to the Borough Isolation Hospital and a number to the
Hospitals of other Authorities.
The incidence of Scarlet Fever was again low and showed a diminution as
compared with the previous year, but the most remarkable feature has been the continued
low incidence of Diphtheria, only 58 cases being notified. A further noteworthy
feature is that only 29 of these were in children under 15 years of age, an unusual
age distribution in a disease which has always been regarded primarily as one of childhood.
How far this has been influenced by immunisation is of course only a matter of
surmise but during the year 1941, 3907 children were immunised as compared with 604
in the previous year and if one may be permitted to anticipate, the figures for
immunisation for this year arc still higher and the incidence of the disease still
remains very low.