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There was a distinct rise in the occurrence of measles during May,
June, July and August, while whooping cough was more prevalent
in the first half of the year. Seven cases of anterior poliomyelitis
were notified—one in July, four in August, two in October.
These cases seemed to be part of an outbreak falling upon several
other neighbouring areas. There is still much research required in
this crippling disease; answers to "the questions—Why the seasonal
incidence, why relatively often a slight outbreak, why so seldom
any such slight outbreak increasing in incidence, is the disease
always caused bv one specific virus or not—are still awaited and
until we have this knowledge the first case is an anxiety because
it may be '.the first of a more extensive outtbreak such as is
occurring from time to time in other parts of the world. All
these cases in 1946 occurred in the northern part of the Borough;
of the four school-children, three attended Roe Green School and
one Fryent School; a Nursery Nurse at Princes Avenue Nursery
and one of the children at the same Nursery were also victims.
The questions repeat themselves—the significance of the
geographical incidence, of attendance at school and Day Nursery
and, if this has any significance, why so few cases. The number
of treatments for scabies became less towards 'the end of the
year and this smaller incidence is continuing so far throughout
1947. Owing to extension of the Out-Patients Department at
Wembley Hospital this treatment is now being provided at
Imperial College of Science Pavilion (May, 1947).
4. The supervision of contacts landing from ship or aeroplane
called for routine surveillance of 145 persons regarding smallpox
and 58 persons regarding typhus fever. Constant vigilance must be
given to persons arriving from infected foreign areas and this
supervision must be given with discretion and understanding.
Many such ask advice on the pertinence of vaccination for 'the
members of their families. It is always wise to reinforce previous
vaccination at intervals. Vaccination, therefore, of any member
of the family who has not been successfully re-vaccinated within
the last two or three years would, be a wise proceeding. With
regard 'to those who have never, so far, been vaccinated, however,
the advice is given that vaccination should not be performed unless
there has actually been contact with smallpox and, of course,
the position generally is 'that the person being supervised has only
been a contact or a possible contact, and is not suffering from
smallpox. This advice about waiting for actual contact with
smallpox before vaccination for the first time applies especially to
school-children and 'those over school age. If there be an infant
in the household under the age of twelve months and not yet
vaccinated, vaccination should immediately be considered along
with the re-vaccination of those who have been vaccinated previously
but not within the last two or three years.
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