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42
disease. This return has proved of considerable value in ascertaining
certain cases which although notifiable had through inadvertance
not come to our notice by more conventional methods.
From the point of view of a head teacher a form of this kind
may represent an additional statistical nuisance but its value to us is
not that of a mere addition to our filing cabinet and its main
importance is worth recording.
Poliomyelitis.
In common with most of the country we had an increased
incidence of this disease which ran—if the word could ever be
applicable in this connection—a normal course.
The first case notified was fatal; others varied greatly from mild
non-paralytic to fairly severe paralytic in type.
Details of certain aspects of the outbreak are noted below:—
The number of suspects notified during the year was 25, of
which subsequently some 13 were confirmed.
Type.
9 of the cases did not show any paralysis, whilst 4 evinced
paralysis in varying degree, one of the latter being at first
considered non-paralytic hut subsequently developing a widespread
paralysis.
Age and Sex.
7 of the cases were male and 6 female : the ages being
2 years in two cases, 3 years (one case), 5 years (one case),
7 years (two cases), 8 years (one case), 11 years (one case),
13 years (one case) , 14 years (one case), 17 years (one case),
33 years (one case), and 35 years.
Ward Distribution.
Upminster 4, North-West 3, Thameside 3, Cranham 1,
Rainham 1, Emerson Park 1.
Hospitalisation.
All save one of the cases were isolated in hospital.
The average stay of the non-paralytic cases was something
under three weeks, whilst the paralytic cases completing treatment
(save one which died on the day of admission—the only
fatal case in the series) averaged 15 weeks.
Results.
One case of a bulbar type died very shortly after hospital
admission, and of the others, two are still attending for remedial
treatment, one is still in hospital and the remaining nine have
made complete recovery.
Various facts even if only of negative interest emerged
from the survey we conducted for Ministerial information and
certain of them may be here noted:—