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VI. PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS AND
OTHER DISEASES.
Weather Conditions.
The weather during the year differed little from the.
average. Exceptions included a strong gale in January in the
North Sea, causing unprecedented coastal damage and floods on
the East Coast. March was distinguished by its exceptionally
high mean pressure, with no rain until the last three days of
the month. May was a fine month.
The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II took
place on 2nd June, and unfortunately it was a wet and dull
month until the last 8 days, which were warm and sunny. The
summer was not remarkable for fine weather. The months of
November and December were outstanding for their mildness.
It was the mildest December since 1934, 59F. being registered
at Kew,
The Public Health (Infectious Disease) Regulations. 1953.
These Regulations, which supersede the Public Health
(Infectious Disease) Regulations, 1927, and the Infectious
Diseases (London) Regulations, 1927, came into operation on
1st April.
The new Regulations are similar to the old, but differ
in some important respects concerning food poisoning. The
provisions for preventive steps to be taken against the
spread of food poisoning formerly applied to enteric fever
and dysentery. They now apply to typhoid fever, paratyphoid
fever and other salmonella infections, dysentery, and
staphylococcal infection likely to cause food poisoning. Also,
under the old regulations, only a person suffering from such
a disease could be prevented from continuing at work connected
with the preparation and handling of food or drink. Now,
similar action can be taken with carriers of the disease, and
furthermore persons in either class may now be prevented, not
only from continuing to work in the aforementioned occupation,
but also from entering such an occupation.
Notifications.
A total of 1496 notifications of cases of infectious
disease were received during the year, as compared with 2142
in 1952, the reduction being largely accounted for by fewer
notifications of measles this year.
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