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27
of choice for this disease. The optimum period of isolation appears
as yet, to say the least, undetermined, and in addition there must
be many mild cases, not to mention cases of streptococcal sore
throat which do not come to professional notice and hence are
probably never isolated at all.
The general control over Scarlet Fever must therefore be
regarded as unsatisfactory but so long as the control over especial
risks, e.g. cases in contacts working in connection with raw milk,
is maintained and this is so at the moment, then no great prejudice
is likely to result.
Diphtheria.
It is again a pleasure to record that no cases of this disease were
notified during the year. The dramatic decrease in incidence which
has noted diphtheria over the past decade is an outstanding event
in epidemiology. It seems reasonable to suppose that the drive to
promote active immunisation which gained momentum during the
war years has played a significant part in this happy state of affairs
although there may well have been other factors of which we know
little which have also been of significance. It is to be hoped that
no false sense of complacency will diminish the enthusiasm of
parents in continuing to have their children granted that degree of
protection which we know is afforded by modern protective methods.
Measles.
At 573 the cases represented exactly one-third of the cases in
the previous year. The disease was of a mild type and did not cause
any deaths.
Whooping Cough.
Whooping Cough notifications at 512 compare unfavourably
with the 291 of the previous year and one death from this cause
occurred.
The control both of Measles and Whooping Cough is rendered
especially difficult because the maximum period of liability to spread
may be before the rash comes out in the one case and before the
characteristic cough develops—if it ever does develop—in the other.
Whooping Cough, especially in a young baby, is a serious
disease requiring, if there are any complications, the most careful
nursing. It is therefore only fair that the most stringent possible
precautions should be taken by every parent whose child is suspected
of being a sufferer. It is impossible to isolate every case of
infectious disease such as Measles or Whooping Cough. It is,
however, never impossible to view the situation-as clearly as possible
and to take with regard to the safety of your neighbours' children,
all the precautions you would expect them to take with regard to
yours.