View report page

34
Infective Hepatitis.
The number of cases notified—18—was a reduction of almost half
on last year's total of 37.

Six cases occurred in December, five in November and the remainder
were dispersed throughout the year. Twelve cases occurred in the
Rainham area and in fact only one of the cases under 15 did not reside
in this area. Only one instance of more than one case occurring in a
house was noted and in this instance the second case developed the
disease probably 8-15 days after the first ease had become infectious.
Remarks : The relatively high incidence in Rainham may be partially
explained by casual contact, as, for example, at school or elsewhere
(no direct evidence of this was found), and by the fact that parents
and doctors are naturally sensitive to the occurrence of such cases in a
somewhat self-contained community. The proportion of over fifteens
—8 out of 18 appears rather high.
The eases appeared clinically to clear up as rapidly as might be
expected.
This disease is not seemingly regarded by parents as of serious
moment and is not generally notifiable.
Tuberculosis.
The Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations 1952 came into
force on 1st May, 1952 replacing the 1930 Regulations.
The register of cases—although no longer legally necessary—continues
to be kept by us and is useful notably perhaps in maintaining
some sort of check on the cases which have refused public medical
treatment and hence have ceased to receive attention from the local
Chest Clinic.
Regard continues to be paid to tuberculosis in relation to re-housing
and no infective case brought to our notice fails to be recommended
for higher priority so long as other circumstances are of reasonable
appeal. If, however, infective cases select our district for residence
and hence come to live under an unsatisfactory environment, then with
all the goodwill possible it is difficult to substantiate their claim for a
degree of priority which would necessarily result in their taking precedence
over perhaps hundreds of deserving local applicants. Regard
must therefore be paid to factors other than medical if a balanced