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33
There was no suggestion of infection having been spread by any congregation
of susceptibles. While precautions were taken to avoid any
gross overcrowding of the swimming pools no schools, nurseries or
swimming pools were closed because of the outbreak.
ENCEPHALITIS LETHARGICA.
A boy of twelve was in June notified as suffering from encephalitis
lethargica. The illness proved fatal.
MEASLES.
The incidence of measles had been rising from October, 1946, to
reach its peak in the early weeks of January, 1947, with an average
weekly notification rate of just over 100. It maintained a high level up
to the middle of March at an average of 70 cases, but fell markedly from
then. For the next three months the weekly average was about 20.
In July a further sharp decline occurred, but it was not until the middle
of September that no notifications were received in any week. In all
1,252 cases were notified, a rate of 5.8 per thousand population. The
rate for the country as a whole was 9.41 and for the administrative
County of London 5.29. Although many schools were involved in the
spring term the heaviest incidence occurred in Glebe Avenue Infants'
School, the only school to be heavily attacked at this time. Again,
although many were affected in the summer term the brunt was borne
by Camrose and by Cannon Lane Infants' School. Thirty children were
removed to the isolation hospital. One death was recorded as due to
measles.
WHOOPING COUGH.
Whooping cough which prevailed to only a slight degree in the
spring term became much more common in the summer term, though
no school was very heavily affected. There was virtually none in the
autumn. Altogether 521 cases were notified, being a rate per thousand
population of 2.41 compared with that of 2.22 for the country as a whole,
and 2.80 for the administrative County of London. Fifteen patients
suffering from complications of whooping cough were admitted to the
isolation hospital for treatment. There were four deaths this year
from this complaint.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIONS.
Chickenpox.
Intimations were received from the head teachers of the local
schools of 789 cases of chickenpox amongst school children. Most of
these were the result of a heavy invasion of Cannon Lane and Glebe
Avenue schools, and to a less extent Greenhill and Stag Lane schools in
the autumn term.
Mumps.
A few schools were lightly affected in the spring term, but most of
the 332 intimations from the head teachers were from Cannon Lane and
the Bridge schools in the summer term.