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24
5.—PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER,
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
(i) Notifiable Diseases.
The great majority of Infectious Diseases are now notifiable.
In this section, according to custom, I have not recorded the notifications
where the diagnosis has been altered after a period of
observation, unless the amended diagnosis proved the condition to
be one of another type of infection which is notifiable, when the
case has been appropriately recorded. Amendments to notifications
are sent to the Registrar-General at the end of each quarter.
(a) Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis.
This is the condition popularly known as Infantile Paralysis,
but this term is really a misnomer, as adults can also be affected,
and several cases may show no evidence of paralysis. It is better
then to use the technical term, cumbersome thought it may be.
When paralysis is present, it is more easy to be sure of the
diagnosis, especially during an epidemic period, but when there is
no paralysis, the diagnosis, to a large extent, rests on the history
available, and on the result of the examination of the cerebro-spinal
fluid. In the latter, if there is no clinical evidence of meningeal
irritation, it is customary to diagnose the condition as "abortive",
but if there is evidence of meningeal irritation, the case is diagnosed
as "non-paralytic".
Altogether, there were 19 cases in the district. Two of these
occurred in January, and the remainder from June onwards. Of
the 19 cases, 11 had paralysis of varying degree, and 8 were
diagnosed as abortive. All were removed to Hospital, as also several
suspected cases, which, on further observation, were proved not
to be suffering from this condition. One of the paralytic cases died
in January, 1953.
This year, the epidemic throughout England and Wales commenced
about the middle of May, and, after an abrupt rise, reached
its peak about the middle of August, when it diminished rather
slowly, but steadily. Essex, however, had a relatively few number
of cases until the end of July, and the peak, with slight variation,
was maintained until the beginnnig of October, after which there
was a slow drop.
(b) Acute Infective Hepatitis.
This condition continues to be notifiable throughout the Eastern
Region, and there were 22 notifications received in this area. Particulars
continued to be forwarded to the Regional Medical Officer
at Cambridge for research purposes.
(c) Diphtheria.
This was another year during which no case of diphtheria was
reported.