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3. Measles notifications rose from 41 in 1960 to 733 in 1961.
This was to be anticipated, as 1961 was a " measles year." As in
the case of scarlet fever, severity was extremely low.
4. Pertussis notifications fell from 60 in 1960 to 6 in 1961.
As I have said before, there is no valid, concrete evidence to prove
that immunisation against pertussis, a policy which is actively
pursued in Southgate, is having an appreciable effect on the
incidence. Nonetheless, although approximately 91 per cent of
children under the age of two years have been protected against
pertussis by immunisation—and surely this must be having an
effect—a few infants still remain unprotected, in spite of the
stringent efforts which are made, especially by our Health Visitors,
to persuade parents to accept immunisation. This is proved by the
fact that, of the 6 cases of pertussis which occurred in 1961,
5 infants had either not been immunised at all or had not completed
their course of injection.
5. The incidence of food poisoning and dysentery fell from
a combined total of 125 in 1960 to a total of 101 in 1961. The
measures which we have taken, particularly in the control of
dysentery and food poisoning among school children, remains as
before, and appears to be satisfactory. Although 101 cases did
occur during the year, it must be remembered that dysentery,
particularly Sonne dysentery and food poisoning are now epidemic
in this country, a fact which we must regretfully accept.
It must also be remembered that these cases have little more than
nuisance value, the disease being quickly recovered from and
leaving, so far as we are aware, no ill effects. All cases of dysentery
and food poisoning, particularly Salmonella typhi-murium infections,
are carefully investigated. Where any cause is discovered, the
matter is actively pursued, even when the original infection took
place somewhere outside the Borough.
6. No case of poliomyelitis was notified during 1961. As in
the case of immunisation against diphtheria, our programme of
vaccination against poliomyelitis is something of which I think we
can be justly proud, more than 91.6% of Southgate children under
the age of two years having been protected against poliomyelitis by
vaccination.
As will be known, we are now using the Sabin vaccine, a
method of oral vaccination which has now supersed;d the giving of
Salk vaccine by injection. Sabin vaccine is administered by mouth,
the method of administration varying according to the age of the
person concerned. It need scarcely be said that this method is
proving extremely popular, as after-effects are virtually nil and the
disadvantage of a prick is eliminated.
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