View report page

NOTIFICATIONS OTHER THAN TUBERCULOSIS
Poliomyelitis
In recent years we have learned to associate a long hot summer with a severe
outbreak of poliomyelitis. The summer of 1959 was such but the immunisation
campaign of the Ministry of Health no doubt played an important part in reducing the
number of cases below what might have been expected, A total of ten cases was
notified whereas in 1955 which was also a hot summer before the immunisation scheme
was introduced 55 cases were notified. Of the ten cases notified five were of the
paralytic form. None of these five had been immunised,
Three of che cases were small children who during the hot weather had indulged
in water play in the Silkstream shortly after a period when the Council had been
cleaning out some of the dirtier parts of the stream and when much of the mud at the
bottom of the stream had been stirred up. It was alleged that one of the children
had drunk some water from the stream
Streams have been accused of spreading poliomyelitis from time to time and in
view of the association of the epidemic with the Silkstream the Public Health
Laboratory Service agreed to examine some samples of the water for the poliomyelitis
virus, but no organisms were detected.
Poliomyelitis is also believed to be spread by a droplet infection from the
infected upper respiratory passages in the same way as the common cold but it is
sometimes difficult to understand where the virus rests in the interval between
epidemics.
It would seem that immunisation of the substantial proportion of the population
against the disease is not only of great benefit to the individuals concerned but
also helps to prevent the spread of the disease amongst the unimmunised in the
community.
Puerperal Pyrexia
Since 1st August 1951 Puerperal Pyrexia applies to any febrile condition
occurring in a woman in whom a temperature of 100 4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees
Centigrade) has occurred within fourteen days after childbirth or miscarriage,
There was an increase in the number of cases of Puerperal Pyrexia 126 cases
occurring compared with 112 in 1958. Of the 126 cases 48 only were Hendon residents
the remainder being women from other areas who entered the maternity hospital in the
Borough for their confinements. Notification in respect of these cases has to be
accepted by the Borough of Hendon and not by the Authority within whose area the
patient is normally resident. In consequence the rate for Hendon is high, That
for the year 1959 is 62.9 per 1,000 total (live and still) births- If the figure
for the Hendon residents only is taken, the rate is 23.9 per 1,000 total (live and
still) births.
23