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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 as arranged by the Regional Hospital Board—
Notification of tuberculosis—Weekly and quarterly returns to the
Registrar-General and County Medical Officer—Authentication of
travellers' 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.
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 1954 was not unusual or in any way adverse.
It will be seen from figures later in the chapter that there were two
outbreaks of food poisoning of which the Department was aware, involving
48 cases, although all of these were mild and transient. There is no doubt
that a number of mild cases and of mild food poisoning outbreaks occur
where the symptoms are so transient that medical attention is not called
and the cases, therefore, are not notified. It would be a help in tracing
the source of contamination if such cases could be brought to the notice of
the Department at a very early stage when remains of the food eaten may
well be available for bacteriological investigation. The result of these
investigations would enable advice to be given to the kitchen staff where the
outbreak had originated and would enlarge our knowlege of sources of infection
and enable us to give more detailed advice to the community generally.
3. The supervision of contacts landing from ship or aeroplane called
for routine surveillance of 4 persons regarding smallpox but no persons
regarding typhoid fever. Constant vigilance must be exercised on persons
arriving from infected foreign areas and this supervision must be given with
discretion and understanding.
International Certificates of vaccination and immunisation were authenticated
in respect of 635 residents intending to proceed overseas.
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