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doctor, it can scarcely be said that an intolerable burden is being
placed on the shoulders of mothers or children !
Detailed records kept in the Area Health Office show that
96% of Southgate children who had reached the age of 2 years by
the end of 1958 had been fully protected against diphtheria. These
figures are eminently satisfactory, and speak for themselves. Indeed
they represent levels of immunisation which, not so many years ago,
would have been considered virtually unattainable. They obviously
redound to the credit and intelligence of our mothers, who appreciate
to the full advantages which protection against such diseases
as diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis and smallpox,
will impart to their infants.
Scarlet Fever.
56 cases of scarlet fever were notified during the year, as
against 69 cases in 1957 and 19 cases in 1956.
I remarked in the Annual Report for 1957 that it was no
longer considered necessary to exclude home contacts of scarlet
fever from school. The fact that the exclusion of contacts results
merely in a loss of school time, without in any way materially
reducing the risk of spreading scarlet fever in schools, is shown
by the fact that the new policy has not resulted in any increase in
the number of scarlet fever cases reported from our schools. Scarlet
fever continues to be an extremely mild disease ; indeed, it is so
mild that one often wonders whether anything like 100% of the
cases which occur in any given year are reported to us. As I have
remarked so many times before, however, we must remain on our
guard in case the more virulent type of scarlet fever which we all
remember so well before the war should return.
Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis.
No cases of poliomyelitis were notified in Southgate during
1958. This is, of course, extremely satisfactory, although it must
be remembered that the drop in poliomyelitis cases which was such
a welcome feature of 1958, was nation-wide.
I have reported to the Public Health Committee from time to
time on the scheme of vaccination against poliomyelitis which is
now in force within the Borough, as part of the County Council's
immunisation and vaccination programme. This scheme operated
with remarkable smoothness during the year. It is not possible
in this report to detail the number of Southgate children who have
been given either one, two or three injections against poliomyelitis,
as these figures are not yet available. As soon as the numbers have
been tabulated, however, I will report the year's totals to the
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