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29
Cases connected with communal services of any kind, or contacts
with similar associations especially where the catering trade
is involved, present of course a problem which should be and is
tackled immediately and vigorously.
Measles.
This was an epidemic year and we had 1,719 cases, with one
death. A few (15) required hospitalisation. No generally acceptable
preventive inoculations are yet available.
Whooping Cough.
This disease again assumed a mild form and no fatalities
resulted from the 296 cases which occurred. It appears likely that
some authoritive guidance on the efficacy of preventive vaccine will
shortly be to hand.
Diphtheria.
It is curious to note that 3 cases occurred in the same month
and almost at the same time. These involved sisters of 2 and 11
years who developed the disease coincidentally and a female of 20
quite unconnected with the other cases. None of the cases had been
immunised; all remained in hospital about 6 weeks and recovery
was complete.
Contact Supervision.
Contacts not only of local cases but of others occurring elsewhere
but with local associations are supervised by us, and one feels that
this is a service of value even although few contacts appear actually
to develop the disease.
It should be emphasized–one wonders if it is generally
appreciated–that infectious disease supervision, if it is to be
effective, must be immediate and continued whether the period
involved is within or without office hours or during holidays. This
throws a very considerable and continued responsibility upon your
staff and I would acknowledge the ungrudging service given by all
my Sanitary Inspectors and especially the Senior Sanitary Inspector,
Mr. Randall, in this connection. The responsible senior public
health officer who is enabled to work "office hours only" is as yet
unknown to me.