View report page

Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis.
Five cases of paralytic poliomyelitis and two cases of nonparalytic
poliomyelitis were notified during the year, as against one
paralytic case and two non-paralytic cases in 1955. The five cases
notified in 1956 occurred during the latter half of the year, four
being reported between October and December.
It will be remembered that inoculation against poliomyelitis
was offered to certain age groups in 1956 (children born between
the years 1947 and 1954), this work being carried out by the Area
Health Staff. 246 Southgate children were inoculated during May
and June, the inoculations proceeding without incident. A further
50 children were inoculated towards the end of the year. This
work will continue in 1957, when it is anticipated that more
plentiful supplies of vaccine will be available. It is interesting to
note that reactions reported following the inoculations—and these
were very carefully scrutinised—were infinitesimal. No child
inoculated developed poliomyelitis, nor did any other member of
a family in which a child had been protected by inoculation.
Although it is known that inoculation does provide what can
at least be described as a reasonable measure of protection, it need
scarcely be said that the more general measures designed to safeguard
the population, both infants, children and adults alike, must
not be in any way relaxed. I have taken the opportunity to provide
our schools with notes on the simple safeguards which can and
should be put into force. In my dual capacity as Medical Officer of
Health for Southgate and District School Medical Officer, I have
taken active steps to impress upon everyone concerned the vital
need for the strictest measures of hygiene in schools ,above all else,
the washing of children's hands after using the toilet. In this I
have received the utmost co-operation from Mr. Healey, the Borough
Education Officer, co-operation which I gladly acknowledge. The
schools have also been most helpful.
We look forward to the day when our children can and will be
protected against poliomyelitis by means of vaccination. But until
that day arrives, and even after that day arrives, we cannot afford
to neglect any matter which will reduce the ravages of the responsible
virus. In this connection, I would draw attention once again
to the deplorable habit of children using the yachting ponds in
our parks as unofficial bathing stations. The Parks Committee has
given the Public Health Committee its full support in trying to
bring this noxious practice to an end. The difficulties need not be
stated. It appears almost unthinkable that parents, who must be
aware of the risk their children are running, still allow them to use
the yachting ponds for a purpose for which they were never
intended. It has been said that children bathe and paddle in these
ponds without their parents' knowledge or permission. When one
40