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cases shows that there were 7 in which the limbs were affected, 3 of
a respiratory and 2 of a bulbar type.
6 males were involved aged from 3 to 12 years. All the paralytic
male cases occurred in children, the female paralytic cases showed a
much wider range of from 14 months to 35 years, 3 of the 6 cases
were under 5 but the two most severe cases were adult females of 26
and 35 years. A complete recovery has been made by 4 of the
paralytic- cases, 6 are still receiving out-patient treatment and 2
(the adult females previously noted) are still in hospital.
The average stay in hospital of the male paralytic cases was
63 days, individually ranging from 37 to 114; the average stay of the
female paralytic cases was 32 days but that is an unreal figure in
that 2 females are still in hospital after a stay of several months.
It is regrettable that after a significant drop this disease should
once again have manifested itself in relatively large numbers and
equally interesting is the fact that cases tended to trickle on throughout
the winter so that after 2 cases in July, 12 in August, 3 in
September, 3 in October, 3 occurred in November and 2 in December.
There has previously been a complete cessation of the disease
in mid-winter but although it may be exceptional this has clearly
not been the case during the past winter.
Although it does not come within the strict scope of this report
mention must be made of the new vaccine which, within the limits
of its efficiency and of the number of children limitation of supply
make it possible to protect, should mark a very significant step in
our fight to minimise what is in effect a scourge. The development
of this vaccine and the results of the programme now being initiated
will be awaited with very great interest.
Infective Hepatitis.
24 cases were notified during the year (this disease is notifiable
under Regulations made in 1943 and applicable to the Eastern
region); the cases were largely scattered in the district and did not
represent any significant individual outbreak.
Tuberculosis.
The tuberculosis register at the end of the year showed as
follows:—
Pulmonary—
Males 398
Females 354
Non-Pulmonary—
Males 41
Females 25
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