View report page

19
ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS.
In September a child of 12 was notified as suffering from acute
anterior poliomyelitis. The infection seemed to have been contracted
while she was out of the district on holiday in August.
MEASLES.
1944 was an inter-epidemic year for measles in this district, only 573
cases being notified. The incidence was most erratic throughout the
year. The 1943 outbreak faded before the last quarter, and the first
quarter of 1944 was quiet with only 72 cases or a weekly average of 5.
A sharp rise took place in the second quarter with a total of 260 cases,
a weekly average of 20, the average of 10 in the first month being balanced
by a rate of 28 in the third. The figures steadily fell throughout the
third quarter to 102, a weekly average of 8, though this was only 3 for the
month of September. A slight rise occurred in the last quarter with a
total of 138 cases or a weekly average of 11, this increase presaging the
extensive outbreak which occurred in the earlier months of 1945.
Most schools escaped entirely. Those attacked were mostly affected
during one term only. In the spring term notifications were received
in any numbers only from Greenhill, Vaughan Road and Grimsdyke.
In the summer term Priestmead and Longfield were mostly affected,
Eastcote Lane and Kenmore to a lesser extent. The autumn infection
was limited almost entirely to the Harrow Weald School.
One death was recorded as due to measles.
The total number of visits paid to the homes by health visitors was
371 while 13 children were removed to hospital.
WHOOPING COUGH.
683 cases were notified during the year. One-half of these occurred
in the first quarter, a weekly average rate of 25. There was a falling off
in the second quarter, 245 cases being notified, a weekly average of 19.
From the second week in July there was a marked decline, only 66 cases
in all being notified in the third quarter and only 37 in the last.
Only a small number of schools were affected to any extent. Abercorn
was attacked in the first term; Roxbourne, Belmont and Stag Lane
were affected to some extent in the spring, and again in the summer term.
Priestmead was attacked in this term.
There were three deaths from whooping cough.
The number of patients suffering from whooping cough who were
removed to hospital for treatment was 15 and the number of visits paid
by the health visitors 306.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIONS.
Chickenpox.
Intimations were received from the head teachers of the public
elementary schools of 714 cases amongst school children. The incidence
was limited almost entirely to the spring term, the schools most affected
being Belmont, with altogether 82 cases, Welldon Park, Bridge (97),
Priestmead (72), Pinner Park (72) and Stanburn (49). Lighter infections