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A pamphlet in the following terms has been distributed from
the Public Health Department as often as opportunity occurs.
"Diphtheria is always a serious disease in a child, and
causes great anxiety to the Parents; but it can be avoided by
Immunisation-injections.
This freedom takes some weeks to develop after the
treatment has been given, so that it is unwise to put off until
there has been actual exposure to the disease or an outbreak
in the district.
All children over one year of age should be protected
from diphtheria by these injections.
The Borough Council have arranged that this treatment
may be given free by the family doctor to children over one
year of age of families within the economic scale of the
National Health Insurance Acts, (Incomes of £250 per annum
or under).
You are advised to consult your Doctor about the value
of obtaining this protection from diphtheria, and how it may
be obtained.
The Borough Council's Public Health Officers will also
give all information concerning the scheme and its value.
The injection-treatment is quite simple and painless."
Enteric Fever.
Four cases of enteric fever occurred during the year. All
the cases were removed to hospital. Two were removed to
Hendon Isolation Hospital, one to the Hospital of St. John and
St. Elizabeth and one to Wembley Hospital. There were no
deaths.
Puerperal Pyrexia.
26 cases were notified, but of these 7 had occurred at Willesden
Maternity Hospital amongst Willesden residents.
Reference has already been made to the Wembley cases
on page 48.
Pneumonia.
Pneumonia was notified concerning the illness of 74 persons.
During 1938 pneumonia (all forms) accounted for the deaths of
44 persons, while influenza was the cause of 7 other deaths.
These figures show very distinctly the lesser incidence
during the year of influenza, the deaths from pneumonia and
influenza in 1937 having been 55 and 36 respectively.
Erysipelas.
25 cases of erysipelas occurred, of which 15 were nursed
at home. Of the 10 cases treated in hospital 6 were accommodated
at Redhill County Hospital, 1 at Western L.C.C.
Hospital, 1 at Watford Hospital and 2 at Acton and Wembley
Isolation Hospital.
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