View report page

65
In 1934, seven cases were notified; in the succeeding six years, the
numbers were 5, 5, 2, 2, 7 and 2. In 1941, there were 17 cases. This
prevalence, which was due to a paratyphoid infection, was part of a
heavy incidence throughout the country, which was probably the result
of lower hygienic standards of food preparation, distribution and handling.
In the next years 1, 4 and 3 cases were notified. In 1945, no cases were
confirmed. There were three para B notifications in 1946. In 1947, there
were two confirmed cases among the general population; the other cases
of infection which were notified in that year being those occurring in a
residential nursery in the district. The cases which have occurred each
year in this district have never been found to be associated with each
other. It is hoped that in future the services of the Public Health
Laboratory, particularly with the phage typing, will enable even
the apparently single sporadic case to be traced and the cause
detected.
Of the eight cases notified in 1948, in only four was the diagnosis
confirmed; of these a patient suffering from typhoid fever died. The
other three were all cases of the para B infection. The first was a man
of 61, who fell ill in December, 1947, but the attack was not diagnosed
until January 7th, 1948. The next was a girl of five who was admitted to
hospital on January 19th. The remaining case was a man of 34 who
succumbed in August. The cases had no association one with another,
and lived in different parts of the district.
DYSENTERY.
This is an infectious complaint manifested typically by gastrointestinal
symptoms which may follow infection a variety of organisms.
Those which cause such widespread infection in some parts abroad do
not occur in this country except amongst those who contract their
infection overseas. Some of the organisms present in this country can
cause severe attacks; on the other hand, some of them cause so little
disturbance that the infection is attributed merely to a gastro-intestinal
upset. Dysenteric infection is probably very widespread. Attack
by one variety of organism is responsible for the very marked invasions
of the populations of mental institutions. A different organism, however,
is responsible for the infections which occur so frequently in children's
hospital wards. How common the infection is amongst the general
population is not known. If the dejecta of those suffering from alimentary
disturbances were submitted more frequently to bacteriological
examination, it is probable that it would be demonstrated that infection
is very widespread. In the absence of full use being made of the services
of the laboratory it is probable that the number of infections bears little
relation to the actual number of persons infected. Probably in most
years the numbers of those throughout the country who are notified
are mostly the result of infection of those in institutions. Even if all
cases in which a doctor were summoned were correctly diagnosed and
notified, it is probable that these figures would still reflect only a fraction
of those who have suffered infection, as in so very many the severity
of illness would be too slight for the doctor to be summoned. However
E