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head teachers, co-operation which is a feature of our work in
Wood Green.
Measles
778 cases of measles were notified during 1953, as against 449
in 1952. This is one of the highest totals recorded in Wood Green
and shows, as previously indicated, that Wood Green shared in the
nation-wide epidemic. There is at least the satisfaction of knowing
that 1954 will almost certainly show a decrease in notifications;
there is the even greater satisfaction in being able to state that
the type of disease continues extremely mild.
It must be appreciated that, in spite of all our efforts, measles
still continues to appear in epidemic form, approximately every
two years. We can protect children in closed communities such as
day nurseries, but, so far as the school and pre-school population
at large is concerned, spread continued unabated. At the present
moment, of course, the disease has little more than nuisance value,
severe complications such as otitis media, eye conditions and
broncho-pneumonia being almost things of the past.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
202 cases of pertussis occurred during 1953 as against 89 in
1952. Here again the disease was comparatively mild, although
pertussis is still regarded as the most serious disease of early childhood.
It is too soon yet to state categorically that our campaign of
immunisation either against pertussis alone or in conjunction with
diphtheria, is having material effect. None the less, we are continuing
our present efforts, and now await the final blessing of the
Ministry of Health. A definite pronouncement should not long be
delayed, as the Medical Research Council has been conducting
widespread investigations in England. These investigations were
directed towards establishing the true value of immunisation, and
the advantage of using one type of antigen against another. If, as
we all hope, these investigations prove satisfactory, we may yet be
able to deal with pertussis as we have with diphtheria. That is by
no means a Utopian dream, since pertussis has been almost
banished from many large cities in America.
Food Poisoning and Dysentery
As noted in the introduction to this section of the Report, 51
cases of dysentery and 7 of food poisoning were reported during
the year. I would again stress that these notifications by no means
give a true index of the incidence of these diseases in the Borough,
since many cases are never reported either to the family doctor or
to the Public Health Department.
The work of investigating cases of dysentery throws quite an
appreciable burden on the shoulders of our sanitary staff. This has
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