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CHAPTER III.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
1. SERVICES PROVIDED, Notification, investigation,
pamphlets issued on the various infectious diseases, exclusion
from school of patients and contacts, advice re milk handlers—
Disinfection—Hospitalisation generally at Hendon Isolation
Hospital or Neasden Hospital, re puerperal pyrexia and ophthalmia
neonatorum, Emergency Bed Service, re poliomyelitis at Royal
National Orthopaedic Hospital, re smallpox at Joyce Green
Hospital, Dartford—Notification of tuberculosis—Compilation of
tuberculosis register—Weekly and quarterly returns to Ministry of
Health and County Medical Officer—Authentication of travellers7
inoculation state—Food poisoning notification and investigation—
Scabies, arrangements with Royal Borough of Kensington—Complete
bacteriological service available at Central Public Health
Laboratory, Colindale, outfits distributed from Public Health
Department—anti-toxin available, diphtheria.
2. There is little to note in this Section for the year, as the
absence of any unusual infectious disease and the lack of any
major outbreak of notifiable disease have not occasioned serious
concern during the year. The incidence of common infections of
infancy varies slightly from time to time and the figures in the
statistical appendix indicate that the experience in 1951 was not
unusual or in any way adverse.
One outbreak of food poisoning was recorded during the year
and, although only one case was officially notified, on investigation,
many mild cases were discovered.
Meat was obtained for a factory canteen, cooked on Friday,
the 19th October, and braised, then placed in the refrigerator for
use on the following Monday. Unfortunately during the week-end
there was an electrical breakdown which necessitated a switch off
for all current allowing the meat to remain at a much higher
temperature than was intended.
The consumption of this meat in a made up dish on the Monday
resulted in 60 cases of food poisoning, every single person
who consumed any of the affected food.
The cases, fortunately, were mild with diarrhoea and abdominal
pain, but the incident illustrates the importance of using prepared
meat immediately after cooking and never delaying its use to
some future time.
3. The supervision of contacts landing from ship or aeroplane
called for routine surveillance of 40 persons regarding smallpox
and Nil persons regarding typhoid fever. Constant vigilance must
be given to persons arriving from infected foreign areas and this
supervision must be given with discretion and understanding.
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