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I am personally convinced that the campaign for the protection
of Wood Green children by inoculation against this disease is
having a beneficial effect.
"The total number of cases of pneumonia notified during
1959 was slightly higher than those notified during 1958 and
this can in part be attributed to the very cold wet weather
experienced during the early part of the year. The majority
of cases occurred among elderly persons. Pneumonia is, however,
no longer a serious illness. The introduction of modem antibiotics
has removed many of the terrors of this disease,except
in the very old and very young. We will, of course, have to
contend with the occasional case of virus pneumonia, against
which the antibiotics are virtually powerless. Fortunately,
however, these cases are comparatively rare.
"The incidence of food poisoning and dysentery during the
year remains relatively static. As I have remarked before,
however, we know that the notifications of food poisoning and
dysentery sent to the Public Health Department by no means
account for all the cases which occur,
"There were seven cases of Poliomyelitis notified during
1959 (4 non-paralytic and 3 paralytic) compared with two cases
of paralytic poliomyelitis in 1958. As the Committee are aware
from my previous reports, one of the cases in 1959, in fact
the last case reported to me, was a man of 25, who unfortunately
died after an illness of very short duration. The others, I
am pleased to say, have all recovered. Two of the children
have been left with a slight weakness, which will in time be
reduced with modern therapy. Among the persons affected,
those who had had one or two inoculations against poliomyelitis
suffered from an extremely mild attack and in every case where
injections had been administered, the person suffered from nonparalytic
poliomyelitis.
"The figures relating to tuberculosis in 1959, although
higher than in 1958, are still considerably lower than, let
us say for instance, in 1954 when the figure was 81. It is
very difficult to make a definite statement on either the rise
or decline in the tuberculosis notifications within the Borough,
having regard to the small numbers involved. None the less,
it would appear that Wood Green is sharing in the nation-wide
improvement and that the number of yearly notifications in
Wood Green gives no cause for dissatisfaction.
"It is hoped that it will be possible to arrange for a
further visit of the Mass Radiography Unit 6A to the Borough
some time later this year.
"Altogether the infectious disease picture during 1959 is
most satisfactory.
"in concluding this review of infectious diseases,I should
make mention of the immunisation and vaccination programme
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