View report page

114
Zymotic Enteritis.
Sixty-three cases were notified during the year compared with five in 1935
and three in 1934. The age incidence is given in Table No. 41. Zymotic Enteritis
at all ages and not limited to any particular months has been notifiable in Woolwich
for many years. In recent years the number of cases notified has fallen considerably.
During the year, owing to the occurrence of cases of illness sometimes diagnosed as
gastric influenza, sometimes food poisoning, and sometimes diarrhoea, or diarrhoea
and vomiting, a circular letter was sent to all medical practitioners in the Borough
drawing their attention to the fact that Zymotic Enteritis was notifiable. This
may account in large measure for the increase in the number of notifications. The
number of deaths in children under two years certified to be due to diarrhoeal diseases
was 25.
Measles.
The two main sources of our knowledge of the incidence of Measles in the Borough
are the School Medical Service and the health visitors. Occasionally, however,
information comes through the local nursing associations and from parents. During
the year 2,060 cases (including 97 cases of German Measles) were discovered. In
1935 and in 1934 the corresponding figures were 656 and 2,392.

From these figures it will be noted that the disease first assumed epidemic
proportions in February, reached its peak in March and fell away thereafter.
The Council's scheme for measles control was put in force at the beginning of the
year, three temporary health visitors being appointed. They investigated every
reported case of measles from whatever source information came ; they visited cases
absent from school from unknown causes and every case of suspected measles. The
staff health visitors made subsequent visits to cases where children were under school
age, but where they were of school age the subsequent visits were made by temporary
health visitors.