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6
Food poisoning
There were no outbreaks of food poisoning. The number of cases confirmed (21) was the lowest
figure since 1957, when there were 20 confirmed cases.
Malaria
Five cases of malaria were notified and confirmed but in each case the disease was contracted
while the patient was abroad.
Ophthalmia neonatorum
There was no impairment of the vision in the four cases of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Poliomyelitis
There were five confirmed cases of poliomyelitis (four females, one male), all paralytic. The four
females were aged 5, 7, 10 and 27 years. The man. aged 40 years, was unfortunately a fatal case, the
cause of death being respiratory paralysis.
Typhoid fever
Two cases of typhoid fever were notified and confirmed. In each case the disease was contracted
while the patient was abroad on holiday.
Whooping cough
The incidence of whooping cough decreased in 1962 compared with the previous year. The case
rate per 1,000 population (.22) was a little above that of England and Wales (T8) (Table 14). The number
of confirmed cases was the lowest recorded since the disease became notifiable on 1st October, 1917.
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 for 38 degrees Centigrade) has occurred within 14 days
after childbirth or miscarriage".
The number of cases notified (157) was almost the same as last year (158).
Smallpox
There were no notified cases of smallpox. Forty-eight contacts of the disease were kept under
surveillance for 21 days from the last date of contact.
In accordance with the International Sanitary Regulations the signatures of doctors on 9,095 certificates
of vaccination were authenticated by the department.
BRONCHITIS, CANCER OF THE LUNG AND TUBERCULOSIS
(Tables 15-24)
Today serious respiratory diseases should be considered together, because of their common causes;
lungs already damaged may have a lowered resistance to infection of cancer. The major common cause
is smoke from cigarettes and to a lesser degree, dirty air, dust and fumes. Over the last few years much
evidence of this has been produced for bronchitis, tuberculosis, and particularly for cancer of the lung. The
report of the Royal College of Physicians published early in 1962 on "Smoking and Health" summarised all
the evidence available, discussed its interpretation and came to the conclusion that "cigarette smoking is a
cause of lung cancer and bronchitis, and probably contributes to the development of coronary heart disease
and various other less common diseases. It delays healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers". The report also
stated that "smoking may possibly contribute to the development of pulmonary tuberculosis, especially in
the middle-aged and elderly".
Over the last 15 years, bronchitis and cancer have displaced tuberculosis as an important cause
of invalidity and death. In Willesden, the death rate from cancer of the lung in 1962 was 13 times that from
tuberculosis, and from bronchitis 14 times (Tables 16, 17, 18).
The attacks on tuberculosis have been successful because of the wide use of effective drugs. Cancer,
however, presents a different picture because smoking is still widespread, and treatment, except in the early
stages of the disease, is rarely successful.
Early diagnosis of chest diseases is essential if treatment is to be effective, but a change in social
habits is necessary if we are to eliminate them. Health education and social reform can also help; school
children, factory workers and members of social, religious and political organisations have been given talks
on chest diseases, and in particular on the dangers to health and life from smoking cigarettes.
Mortality and morbidity
There were six deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis among men and four deaths among women
with the now usual shift to the older age groups. There has been a slight increase in notifications of tuberculosis
(Table 15) compared with last year, but the total number of cases on the register fell to 1,876. There
is still no cause for complacency; tuberculosis has not yet been defeated,