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diseases is an anxiety as the possibility
of water or food spread must ever be borne
in mind. While being still satisfied that
up to the present there has been no occasion
for panic or mass immunisation against the
enteric group of diseases in this Borough,
the opinion has been expressed to the Public Health
Committee that the chances of falling a victim
to the germs of the enteric group of illness
seem to be greater now than they were at the
beginning of the war. This risk can undoubtedly
be reduced by protective inoculation.
In Wembley in 1937 there were 3 cases of
enteric illness, in 1938, 4; in 1939, 3; in
1940, 5; and in 1941, 7.
While the number of food poisoning cases
has remained small, there have been one or two
circumstances in which the possibilities of food
poisoning in association with communal canteens
had to be carefully examined. In one or two
of the large provincial towns such occurrences,
definitely proved to be due to the food poisoning
organisms, have occurred.
The possibility of serious disturbance to
the public health services with regard to
environmental hygiene and the interference with
normal day-to-day personal hygiene undoubtedly
adds to the potentiality of the risk of enteric
or enteric-like diseases.
Experience points to the wisdom of accepting
the offer of the Ministry of Health through
local health authorities, of inoculation against
the typhoid and para-typhoid group of illnesses.
Such inoculation treatment is available free at
the Council's Health Clinics. The number
accepting this service so far has been very
small - during the year, 1941, the number was
345, and between 1st January and 8th August,
1942, 33.
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