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38
Acute Poliomyelitis.
Three cases of this disease were notified during the year; two were girls aged
3 years and 4 years respectively and the third was a boy aged 14 years. All were
removed to hospital. There were no deaths.
It has long been recognised that the acute stage of this disease is often so indefinite
in character as to be undiagnosable, and it is only when a short time later
paralysis manifests itself that the true nature of the condition is realised. It is
therefore essential that treatment should be carried out at the earliest possible stage.
If the later stage of the paralysis has become established orthopædic treatment is
desirable. Efforts are made to follow up these cases and to ensure that they attend
a proper institution for treatment.
Children of school age attend Hoxton House Centre for Physical Defectives,
where they are kept under observation and referred to hospital where necessary.
The Invalid Children's Aid Association also renders valuable assistance in assisting
parents with the purchase of appliances which may be necessary for the correction
of deformities.
Pneumonia.
The Ministry of Health Regulations of 1919 made two forms of pneumonia
compulsorily notifiable, viz., acute primary pneumonia and acute influenzal pneumonia.
During the year under review the number of notifications of pneumonia received
was 60, of which 57 were primary and 3 influenzal.
The attack rate for the two varieties, based on the notifications received, was
0.63 and 0.03, as compared with 0.30 and 0.39 for 1933.
The number of deaths from pneumonia of all types was 121, which gives a death
rate of 1.33 per 1,000. It will be apparent that during the year under review
influenza contributed very little to the causes of death.
The table on page 29 shows that the cases of acute primary pneumonia were
distributed more or less evenly throughout all the age groups, and that the incidence
was markedly greater in the first and fourth quarters than during the spring and
summer.
Of the 60 cases of pneumonia brought to the notice of this department, 45
received treatment in St. Leonard's Hospital. In addition to the 60 cases, 21 cases
of pneumonia of types which are not notifiable were visited by the District Nursing
Association who paid in all 334 visits to pneumonia cases.