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108
A circular letter was sent to all the doctors practising in the Borough calling
their attention to all these amendments. It is hoped that these hints will
lead to the immediate treatment of all cases of diphtheria and so will give
them the best chance of complete and uncomplicated recovery. This is
especially necessary in view of the increased case mortality. Mechanical aids
to diagnosis are very useful but there is a tendency on the part of most of us
to rely upon them too much to the exclusion of our own clinical findings.
In the report for 1935 I expect to be able to report upon the early days of
Diphtheria Immunisation in Stepney.
Anti-
Diphtheritic
Serum.
This serum is supplied on request to the general practitioners of the
Borough. During the year 46 tubes, each containing 4,000 units, were issued
from the Public Health Office.
Typhoid
fevers.
There were 4 cases notified during the year, 1 of which was paratyphoid.
All were removed to hospital. There was one death. No definite source of
infection could be traced in any of these cases. The death rate for the whole
Borough was .004 per 1,000 of the population.
Small Pox.
There were 9 cases of Variola Minor notified during the year, or 14 less
than in the previous year. The last case occurred on 17th March, 1934.
Stepney, London, and indeed the British Isles, are now quite free. The
epidemic started in Stepney in January, 1929, so that by extreme concentrated
effort the disease was eradicated in just over 5 years. During
that time there were 1,848 cases with 7 deaths. It is to be hoped that it
will be many years before it appears again, if at all, for although generally it
is a mild disease the efforts for its control are rather inclined to upset the
routine work of the Public Health Department.