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4. Pertussis notifications fell from 72 in 1960 to 13 in 1961.
As I have remarked before, there is no valid, concrete evidence
to prove that immunisation against pertussis, a policy which is
actively pursued in Wood Green, is having an appreciable effect
on the incidence. Although approximately 89 per cent of children
under the age of two have been protected against pertussis by
immunisation-and surely this must be having an effect-a few
infants still remain unprotected, in spite of the stringent
efforts which are made, especially by our Health Visitors, to
persuade parents to accept immunisation. This is proved by the
faot that, of the 13 cases of pertussis which occurred in 1961,
12 infants had either not been immunised at all or had not
completed their course of injections.
5. The incidence of food poisoning and dysentery fell from a
combined total of 37 during 1960 to a total of 6 in 1961. The
measures which we have taken, particularly the control of dysentery
and food poisoning among school children, remains as before, and
appears to be satisfactory. Although 6 cases did occur during
the year, it must be remembered that dysentery, particularly
Sonne dysentery, and food poisoning are now epidemic in this
country; a fact which we must regretfully accept. It must also
be remembered that these cases have little more than nuisance
value, the disease being quickly recovered from and leaving, so
far as we are aware, no ill-effects. All cases of dysentery and
food poisoning, particularly Salmonella typhimurium infections,
are carefully investigated. Where any cause is discovered, the
matter is actively pursued even when the original infection took
place somewhere outside the Borough.
6. No case of poliomyelitis was notified during 1961. As in
the case of immunisation against diphtheria, our programme of
vaccination against poliomyelitis is something of which I think
we can be justly proud, more than 83.6% percent. of Wood Green
children under the age of two years having been protected against
poliomyelitis by vaccination.
As will be known, we are now using the Sabin vaccine, a
method of oral vaccination which has superceded the giving of
Salk vaccine by injection. Sabin vaccine is administered by
mouth, the method of administration varying according to the age
of the person concerned. It'need scarcely be said that this
method is proving extremely popular as after-effects are virtually
nil and the disadvantage of a prick eliminated.
It is important to remember that several outbreaks of poliomyelitis
have recently occurred within Great Britain, one at
least being extensive. This proves that the virus is still with
us and requires careful supervision.
As in previous years we have co-operated with the Central
Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, in obtaining specimens from
children who have not been in known contact with poliomyelitis,
so that their stools can be examined.
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