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11
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Table IV in the Appendix gives details of the notifications of
infectious disease received during 1942. The total 689 is considerably
less than that for the previous year which was 802, but it is
still high, very largely on account of the large number of notifications
of measles and whooping cough. The infections were generally of
a mild type, and in 361 cases of measles only two deaths occurred,
while there was only one death in 95 cases of whooping cough.
There were 87 cases of scarlet fever and 22 cases of diphtheria, but
no death from either disease. Of the 22 cases of diphtheria 10
occurred in persons over 15 years of age. Thirty-four deaths
occurred from tuberculosis and 27 from pneumonia.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION.
Diphtheria immunisation was carried out as in former years.
"When this procedure was first commenced in 1929, the great majority
of the children immunised were of school age, and it was difficult
to persuade parents to bring younger children to be protected.
During the past few years however more and more children aged
12 months and over have been immunised, and the majority brought
for immunisation are now under school age, for the most part in
the second year of life. This is a very great advance as it is in the
early years of life that diphtheria is most dangerous, and protection
therefore most valuable. During 1942, 1,212 children in all
received full courses of injections, 730 of whom were under 5 years
of age and 482 between 5 and 15 years. Twelve cases of diphtheria
occurred in children under 15 years of age, during the year, but in
none of these cases had the child ever been immunised. The
material now used for immunisation in all cases is Alum Precipitated
Toxoid provided free by the Ministry of Health. It is estimated
that over 50 per cent. of all children under 5 years of age in Wood
Green have been immunised, and over 80 per cent. of those between
5 and 15 years.