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Owing to the policy of deferring immunisation whilst poliomyelitis
is occurring in the district, the number of children immunised in 1955
was considerably less than in other years.
Notifications and deaths in England and Wales fell from 18,596 and
722 respectively in 1945, to 53 and 8 in 1956,
Sixty-five swabs were forwarded by general practitioners to the
Mile End Group Laboratory, where bacteriological examinations are carried
out on behalf of the Borough Council,
Dysentery.
There was a decrease in the incidence of Sonne dysentery, 34 cases
being notified, compared with 116 cases last year.
Erysipelas.
During the year thirteen notifications were received.
Food Poisoning.
Eight cases of suspected food poisoning were notified during the year.
There were no deaths. In 5 cases a Salmonella organism was isolated from
the patient's stool, but in no c\case was the source of infection traced to
any article of food.
Hookworm Disease.
A Pakistani who came to this country two years ago was reported to be
suffering from hookworm disease (ankylostomiasis).
Influenza.
Deaths from respiratory diseases in the last quarter of the year were
higher than normal, totalling 117 as against 229 for the year. In 1956,
deaths from respiratory diseases during the December quarter numbered 29
out of a total of 208, Throughout London,deaths in the last quarter of
the year from the same cause were twice the seasonal average, according
to the County Medical Officer of Health, and this period corresponds with
that during which the epidemic known as "Asian '£Lu" was active in London.
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