View report page

4
(b) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases more than 28
days after release from isolation 0
„ return cases they gave rise to 0
,, infecting cases per cent, of total home cases 0
,, return cases per cent, of total home cases 0
II. Hospital Cases.—Approximately 197.
(a) No of infecting cases giving rise to return cases not longer than
28 days after discharge 2
„ return cases they gave rise to 2
No. of infecting cases per cent, of total hospital cases 1.0
„ return cases per cent, of total hospital cases 1.0
(b) No. of infecting cases giving rise to return cases more than 28
days after discharge 2
„ return cases they gave rise to 2
„ infecting cases per cent, of total hospital cases 1.0
„ return cases per cent, of total hospital cases 1.0
Small Pox.—Ten cases of this disease occurred in Willesden during 1924. All occurred in one
house. The type of the disease varied from mild small pox to the most virulent haemorrhagic type,
three of the ten cases proving fatal. These cases were first brought to the notice of the Medical
Officer of Health on the 24th June, 1924, and during the three succeeding weeks certain officers of
the Department were detached for small pox duty only, under the direct personal supervision of
the Medical Officer of Health. The recent movements of the cases were traced and all persons who
had been in contact with the cases for a fortnight prior to the development of small pox were specially
investigated with the view of tracing the origin of the disease. Every possible assistance was given
by Medical Practitioners in Willesden and by Medical Officers of Health of other districts but no
case came to light which was likely to have infected the first of the ten cases which were brought
to the notice of the Medical Officer of Health in Willesden. All persons who had been in contact
with the cases were kept under surveillance for a period of fourteen days from their last contact.
Two of these persons subsequently developed small pox, one in the Midlands and one in London.
As they were under observation in their respective districts and were at once isolated on the appearance
of symptoms, no extension of the disease occurred.
The Public Elementary Schools in Willesden where the three school children out of the ten
cases attended were kept under daily observation and all children absent from school were visited
by officers of the Health Department. The Board of Guardians were communicated with and
vaccination was freely offered to all who cared to avail themselves of this protection against the
disease.
Altogether 2,500 visits were made by the staff of the Health Department to homes, works
and schools in connection with the outbreak, and it is satisfactory to record that this vigilance met
with its reward. No cases beyond the ten occurring in the originally infected house occurred in
Willesden and the district was thereby saved the anxieties, interference with work and trade and
expense, which are inseparable from any spread of small pox, especially of the severe type.
The ten cases were removed to the Willesden Small Pox Hospital at Kingsbury. This Hospital
was burnt down in 1912 and has not since been rebuilt. Only one ward exists and the patients to
be treated included men and women and young persons of both sexes. It was only possible to arrange
for the treatment at this Hospital as these were all members of one family. Difficulties arose in
connection with the measures to be taken for dealing with the outbreak and preventing its spread
on account of lack of adequate hospital accommodation. As a result the proposal of the Council
to re-erect the Small Pox Hospital at Kinsbury has matured and it is hoped that shortly a suitable
hospital will be available should unfortunately similar circumstances arise again in the district.
Typhoid Fever.—19 Cases of this disease were notified during 1924. Of these 19, 10 were
treated in the Municipal Hospital, 3 in Park Royal Hospital, 3 in London Hospitals, and 3 in their
own homes.
Of the 10 removed to the Municipal Hospital, 5 were diagnosed as typhoid fever and all
recovered. 5 were diagnosed as not typhoid fever. 2 of these proved fatal, 1 from ulcerative colitis
and 1 from spleno medullary leukaemia.
1 death from typhoid fever was notified during the year in respect of a girl at a boarding
school in Willesden who died outside the district.
Encephalitis Lethargica, Poliomyelitis, Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.—23 cases of these
diseases were notified in 1924.
Puerperal Fever.—During 1924 12 cases of Puerperal Fever were notified and investigated.
This gives a case rate of 0.42 per 100 registered births as against 0.29 in 1923.
2 of these notified cases proved fatal which gives a case mortality of 16.7 per 100 cases, and
a maternal mortality from this cause of 0.7 per 1,000 births. The maternal mortality from all
causes was 1.4 per 1,000 births.