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44
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
General
During the year the Borough remained free from any serious
outbreak of infectious disease. The total number of notifications
received, 1,652, was considerably fewer than the preceding year's
figure of 5,563 notifications, the difference being mainly accounted
for by the fact that measles did not occur in epidemic form during
the year under review. Once again there were no cases of diphtheria
or poliomyelitis reported, reflecting the high level of protective
immunisation which has been maintained in the Borough; this
good record should not, however, blind us to the fact that any
lapse in this immunity would leave the way clear for a recurrence
of these dangerous and distressing illnesses, and should encourage
parents to make quite certain that their children receive the benefit
of the various immunising procedures that are available. There
was a single case of typhoid fever reported, the infection in this
instance having been contracted outside the United Kingdom.
Another feature worthy of comment was the very small number
of cases of food poisoning notified, only seven being confirmed
during the year. These were all isolated cases, and there were no
generalised outbreaks of the type associated with failures of food
hygiene in canteens and other catering establishments. Even when
allowance is made for the incomplete reporting of the milder forms
of this illness, and no doubt also for an element of good fortune,
the achievement still seems a considerable one, in a Borough of
this size, especially when the vast number of meals served annually
in catering establishments throughout the Borough is borne in mind
—over six million by the school meafs service alone. A good deal
of patient educational work has been carried out by the staff of the
department in the field of food hygiene, and this was also a practice
of the health departments of the constituent authorities prior to
amalgamation. It is important that this work should continue
without interruption.
Finally, it is pleasing to note a considerable reduction in the
number of new cases of tuberculosis, sixty notifications being
received compared with ninety in the previous year. There were
also fewer fatalities from this cause, and a small decrease in the
number of cases on the register.
Statistical details of the various infectious diseases are given
below under separate headings and unless otherwise stated, no
deaths from these infections occurred.
Poliomyelitis
No cases of this disease were notified during the year.
Diphtheria
No cases were notified during the year.