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4. Pertussis notifications were 11 this year—although 5 more
than last year, still a very satisfactory figure.
Although it is difficult in any one Borough to show statistic
ally the effect of whooping cough vaccination, recently published
figures are of great interest. These show that for England and
Wales in 1960 and 1961 the total deaths from whooping cough
were 64, and of these 64 deaths, only 1 occurred in a completely
vaccinated child—a child aged 2 years who suffered from epilepsy.
Although the death rate from pertussis is low, it is such a
distressing disease that every child should be protected from it so
far as is possible.
5. The incidence of food poisoning and dysentery fell from a
combined total of 101 in 1961 to 44 in 1962.
All cases of dysentery and food poisoning, particularly
Salmonella typhi-murium infections, are carefully investigated and
are fully followed-up wherever the source of infection may lie.
Although such a marked fall in cases this year is very
satisfactory this rate is extremely variable and there is by no means
any general reduction throughout the country in these infections.
One case of poliomyelitis was notified in 1962. This was nonparalytic
and the patient, a little girl aged 2 years, made a good
recovery. This child had commenced a course of poliomyelitis
immunisation and her third injection was not yet due when she
developed poliomyelitis. It may be that her partial immunisation
accounted for the mildness of the attack and the complete recovery.
All her home contacts accepted poliomyelitis vaccination and no
further cases arose.
The rate of poliomyelitis immunisation for Southgate children
continues at a satisfactorily high level.
7. Sixteen cases of tuberculosis were notified in 1962, 12
fewer than during 1961. No visit was paid to Southgate by the
Mass Radiography Unit in 1962. I would state, however, that the
Unit has since made a visit to the Borough.
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