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Prevalence of and Control over
Infectious and Other Diseases.
From Table V, on page 80, it will be seen that 256 cases of
infectious disease were notified during the year, as against 217 in
1937 and 199 in 1936. These 256 cases represent infection in 238
houses.
The Infectious Sickness Rate for the district was 3.8, as against
3.3 during 1937 and 3.1 during 1936.
It will be observed that the lower infectious sickness rate
which Southgate has recently been enjoying continued during 1938;
indeed, this is the first instance which I can find of the infectious
sickness rate having remained below the level of 4 per 1.000 for
three years in succession. At one time it appeared as though the
rate would show a very marked rise, the notifications during the
first six months being very greatly in excess of those for the same
period of 1937. During the second moiety of the year, however,
the notification rate fell and, had it not been for the occurrence of
a localised diphtheria outbreak in New Southgate, it is probable
that the total of the year would actually have been less than that
of its predecessor. While this is a happy position in many respects,
I feel that I must again voice a warning. In spite of excellent
housing conditions, satisfactory physique in the younger element
of the population, and the progressive attention paid both to
physical fitness and immunisation, no urbanised community such
as Southgate can hope to remain free from major epidemic visitations
over an indefinite period. Unfortunately, epidemiology has not
placed any weapons in our hands other than those already
enumerated. Fortunately, they are usually sufficient to prevent,
if not an attack, at least the most serious effects of infectious disease .
In point of fact, this is illustrated both in our death rates and
in our complication rates. Each of these is low, and has remained
low for a considerable number of years. Thus is emphasized the
ancient axiom that any cause must be judged by the ultimate effect
produced. So long as it appears safe to assume that the condition
of the district and the population residing therein will result in
the effects of infectious disease being merely temporary and slight,
so long will the position continue to be satisfactory. When, if
ever, the time arrives that the resistance of the population is so
denuded as not only to render attack easy, but also to magnify the
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