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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 Neasden Hospital or Hendon Isolation
Hospital, re puerperal pyrexia and ophthalmia neonatorum, Emergency
Bed Service, re smallpox as arranged by the Regional Hospital
Board—Notification of tuberculosis—Authentication of travellers'
inoculation state—Food poisoning notification and investigation—
Scabies, arrangements with the Middlesex County Council—
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 1955 was not unusual or in any way adverse.
It will be seen from figures later in the chapter that there was one
outbreak of food poisoning of which the Department was aware, involving
25 cases, although all of these were mild and transient. There is no doubt
that a number of mild cases and 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
it 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 knowledge 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 16 persons regarding smallpox. 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 739 residents intending to proceed overseas.
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