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6
PREVALENCE AND CONTROL OF INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
The declining incidence and mortality of infectious diseases such as diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles,
whooping cough and typhoid fever in the past 50 years is not so much a reflection of better treatment as
of improving living standards. Better housing and better nutrition, improved ventilation, and smaller families
have helped to increase resistance and reduce the possibilities of spread of infection. Health visitors and
public health inspectors have played an invaluable role in health education and in improving hygiene.
A summary of cases notified, confirmed and deaths from various diseases for 1955 and 1956 is
shown in table 15.
Whooping Cough (table 16)
The incidence of whooping cough rose slightly in 1956 compared with the previous year, but it was
still lower than for the years 1950 to 1954 inclusive. In spite of this rise, however, it continued to be lower
than for England and Wales as it has been since 1947. This lower incidence, however, cannot be attributed
to whooping cough vaccination (see report for 1953).
Poliomyelitis
In marked contrast with 1955, there was no outbreak in 1956 (table 17).
Dysentery
In common with the remainder of the country there was an increase in the number of cases of Sonne
dysentery during the year. There were seven outbreaks.
(1) An outbreak occurred at St. Mary's Church of England School on the 16th January. 5 children
had symptoms and 9 were found to be carriers; 3 cases and 1 carrier were admitted to the isolation hospital.
The infection took over three months to clear up and the last two symptomless carriers were not re-admitted
to school until the 25th March.
(2) Ten days after the first outbreak, dysentery appeared in Curzon Crescent Nursery School. 10
children had symptoms and another 26 were found to be carriers; 1 member of the staff had symptoms.
The cases and most of the carriers were soon back at school, but 9 carriers took over two months to clear
up.
(3) Eighteen days after the second outbreak, dysentery appeared in Bridge Road School. 6 children
had symptoms and 9 others were found to be carriers;1 case was admitted to isolation hospital. The infection
took over two months to clear up and the last carrier was not re-admitted to school until the 27th April.
(4) Ten days after the third outbreak, dysentery appeared in Chichester Road Day Nursery.
4 children had symptoms and 12 others were found to be carriers. 1 case was admitted to isolation hospital.
The infection cleared up within a month and new admissions were accepted in the nursery on the 19th March.
(5) Three days after the fourth outbreak, dysentery appeared in Mora Road School. 45 children had
symptoms and 7 others were found to be carriers; 2 cases were admitted to the isolation hospital. The
infection took two months to clear up.
(6) One day after the fifth outbreak, dysentery appeared in the Hostel for Homeless Families, 91
Dartmouth Road. Altogether 17 mothers and children were affected; 1 mother and 6 children had symptoms
and 1 mother and 10 children were found to be carriers. The infection took almost two months to
clear up, mainly owing to overcrowded conditions, unsatisfactory washing accommodation, and the difficulty
in getting mothers to submit specimens for bacteriological examination.
(7) Ten weeks after the sixth outbreak, dysentery appeared in Gladstone Park Day Nursery. 12 children
had symptoms and 6 were found to be carriers. After seven weeks new admissions were accepted in the
nursery, when all the carriers had ceased to be infectious.
Food Poisoning
There were no outbreaks of food poisoning.
Puerperal pyrexia
Since 1st August, 1951, puerperal pyrexia applies to any "febrile condition occurring in a woman
in whom a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees Centigrade) has occurred within fourteen
days after childbirth or miscarriage".
On the 2nd October an outbreak of streptococcal infection began in the maternity wards of the
Central Middlesex Hospital.
In the first three weeks, 18 patients and 15 staff were affected, none of whom was seriously ill.
The organism was B haemolytic streptococcus Group A, Type 28. 7 of the patients were babies who had an
infection of their umbilical cords.
Three meetings of the Control of Infection Committee were held. At the first meeting a report on
the outbreak was considered and the following action was agreed:—
(a) Routine admissions to the maternity ward were stopped from the 6th October.
(b) Segregation beds were made available in O Block.
(c) Patients with streptococcal infection were placed in a single bedded ward, and if Group A was isolated
they were transferred to the segregation ward; if Group A was not isolated they remained in a single
bedded ward.