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During the year there were 56 cases of poliomyelitis notified,
but these cases were notified in the stage of preliminary illness,
and were not confirmed except where cases were admitted to
hospital with transient and abortive paralysis and one case died
of polio encephalitis. The notification of unconfirmed cases by
the general practitioner is, perhaps, a wise procedure during
times of epidemic, but it does inflate the returns, give a false
picture, and cause some public anxiety.
Scarlet Fever.
245 cases were notified, 171 of which were home-nursed and
74 treated in hospital. Scarlet Fever is one of the many manifestations
of hæmolytic streptococcus infections which account
for the large number of cases notified year by year. At present
the type of disease is mild.
Diphtheria.
Two cases were notified during the year, both being admitted
to hospital. No complications developed. The percentage of the
14,250 children under 15 who have been immunised since 1935
is 77. The percentage has always been high since immunisation
was undertaken by the Local Authority prior to 1948. While
immunisation plays a large part in the prevention of the disease,
there are other biological factors, at present unknown, affecting
the disease itself.
Whooping Cough.
182 cases were notified, giving a rate of 3.1 per 1,000 population.
Six cases were admitted to hospital, and all recovered.
Measles.
1,049 cases were notified, giving a rate of 17.7 per 1,000 population.
It was mild in type, and only ten cases required removal
to hospital, and all recovered.
Tuberculosis.
The Ministry of Health has now decided to try out B.C.G.
vaccination on selected groups of volunteers, and we must hope
the results will justify the expectations placed in this form of
prophylaxis. The group selected are nurses and medical students,
and in addition appropriate specialists will be allowed to use the
vaccine at their own discretion, such as in suitable cases of home
contacts of a case of open tuberculosis.
The reason, of course, for choosing such groups as nurses and
medical students is that they are particularly exposed to the risk
of infection from tuberculosis, and in the majority of cases are
of an age which is peculiarly liable to this infection,