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(c) Many more children in Southgate would have to be
immunised against pertussis before, the campaign could have
any effect on the pertussis rate among the child population as a
a whole.
(d) I am of the opinion that the results of the work carried
out during 1947 justify us in continuing our present policy and
procedure.
It now appears that the Southgate policy of immunisation
against diphtheria and/or pertussis will show little or no alteration
after July 5th, 1948. Our present system of organised
immunisation clinics will continue under the aegis of the Area
Health Committee, at least for the present. In addition, general
practitioners who agree to participate in the scheme of immunisation,
will undertake this work as part of their general duties,
and will be supplied with the necessary materials free of charge
to allow them to do so. This is all to the good, as it will still
further inorease the facilities available to parents in the Borough,
and should make it easier for them to take advantage of the
protection afforded by immunisation. It can, I believe, be
claimed that the method of immunisation carried out at our immunisation
clinics and in our schools is as fool-proof and safe as
care and thought can achieve. The results which we have obtained,
and the very trivial incidence of unpleasant after-effects, substantiates
this belief and encourages us to continue along similar lines.
Food Poisoning.—Although food poisoning is not strictly
speaking an infectious disease, cases are notifiable. That does not
mean to say that they are always notified. There can be no doubt
that many more cases of food poisoning occur than are ever brought
to the notice of the Public Health Department. Most of them are
fortunately mild, and recover with simple forms of treatment. We
are told that food poisoning is on the increase, and although it is
difficult to obtain statistical evidence to support this contention, it
is probably a true statement of fact.
During the summer of 1947 a fatal case of food poisoning was
reported from a road in Southgate. A full investigation was immediately
carried out, in an endeavour to trace the source. Part of
the investigation included a visit to each family in the road, where
enquiries were made as to the existence of any signs or symptoms of
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