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Diphtheria Carriers.—During 1924 and 1925, 25 persons were referred to the Diphtheria Carrier
clinic at St. Mary's Hospital. One patient failed to attend, one attended only once, one other was
still in attendance at the end of the year, and the remaining 22 patients were found to be free from
infection after periods varying from two to eighteen weeks.
The total number of patients referred to the clinic since its inception in 1920 is 73.
Anti-diphtheritic serum.—This is stocked at the Town Hall and supplied to poor persons on the
order of doctors. During 1924, 21 phials of 8,000 units and 9 phials of 500 units were distributed.
During 1925, 11 phials of 8,000 units, 4 phials of 4,000 units and 11 phials of 500 units were
distributed.
SMALL.POX.
No cases of the disease were notified during 1924 and 1925. A number of persons who had been
in contact with the disease on board a ship or in another district were kept under observation.
CHICKEN.POX.
Chicken.pox has been notifiable in Paddington since November 28th, 1922. In no other metropolitan
Borough is the disease notifiable.
In the year 1924, 395 cases of chicken.pox and in the year 1925, 459 cases were notified.
TYPHOID FEVER.
Fifteen cases of this disease were notified in 1924, of which three probably contracted the disease
before arriving in the Borough. Eighteen cases of the disease were notified in 1925, of which 4 were
errors in diagnosis, and of which four probably contracted the disease before arriving in the Borough.
It was found impossible to trace the source of infection in most of the cases, except in a few
cases where nurses or relatives were infected by patients whom they were nursing.
MEASLES.
Measles has been notifiable in the Borough since 1914 under various Orders and Regulations,
those at present in operation being "The Metropolitan Borough of Paddington (Measles and German
Measles) Regulations, 1920." In addition to the cases medically certified a number of cases come
to the knowledge of the Department through reports from schools, parents, etc. There were, in
1924, 3,215 cases certified by medical practitioners, and 914 reported from other sources, the corresponding
figures for 1925 being 1,254 and 296.
The Women Inspectors visit all cases of measles, and, where necessary, arrange for the attendance
of the District Nurses. During 1924 the Inspectors' visits totalled 4,751, and during 1925, 1,976.
One hundred and fifty.six (156) cases were attended by the District Nurses in 1924, and 56 in 1925.
The visits paid by the Nurses numbered 2,150 in 1924, and 950 in 1925.
Notices are sent to the Head Teachers of schools in all cases where the patients are school children,
or where there are school children living in infected houses.
The following tables show the number of cases notified in each four-weekly period during 1924
and 1925.