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Sickness Rate is due entirely to tlie inclusion, for the
first complete year, of measles and whooping cough
notifications. The 347 cases of measles and 58 cases
of whooping cough notified during 1940 accounted for no
less than 68.52% of the total cases reported during the
year, a fact which might well be left to speak for itself.
From the table set out on page 38, it will be seen
that measles notifications rose to a peak during September.
After a slight lull during November, a return of the
previous severity .made itself apparent in December. It
is satisfactory to be able to report that the type of
cases met with was mild on the whole. Admission to
hospital was required in 12 cases only, while the number
of deaths was confined to one.
A slight increase in diphtheria notifications is
apparent in the 1940 figures. This increase was almost
entirely the result of a small localised outbreak in the
Ilew Southgate area, towards the end of the year. The
number of families involved was small, an interesting
fact being the comparatively large number of children in
the same families ( 2, 3 and 5) who became infected.
Conclusion.
The policy set out ift last year's Annual Report, i.e.
the maintenance of all essential Public Health Services,
has been continued during 1940.
In spite of the heavy and continued raiding which took
place during the latter part of 1940 dislocation, of
Public Health services was very slight. We have had to
adapt, ourselves to ever-changing conditions. Fortunately,
a Public Health Department must be modelled on mobile
lines, and it' is this principle which has very largely
enabled us to adapt ourselves so quickly and so easily
to fresh developments.
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