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one school had any substantial numbers of cases in the summer term,
while there were very few cases in the district in the second half of the
year. In all intimations were received about 422 cases.
Contacts of infectious patients are not now excluded from school.
Mumps.
Most schools were free from cases of mumps in the first and in the
third terms of the year, but most of them had some cases in the summer
term. Altogether, 317 intimations were received. Only one school
was affected to any extent, having 52 cases ; this, too, was almost the
only school affected in the third term.
Contacts are not now excluded from school.
German Measles.
At times this appears in widespread epidemics, even when there is
no undue prevalence of the commoner type of measles. More usually,
however, it appears at the same time but to nothing like the same extent
as measles. During 1948, intimation was received of only 18 cases
amongst children attending school.
For long accounted as of little importance, the disease has in recent
years assumed a much more serious aspect because of the possibility of
the development of congenital defects in a child born to a mother who has
suffered from german measles in the early stages of her pregnancy.
Contacts are not now excluded from school.
Influenza.
This condition is not notifiable. Indications of its prevalence can
be obtained from the numbers of the fatalities ascribed to it, or from the
numbers of notifications received of acute influenzal pneumonia. Neither
of these probably is a very reliable index. Only four deaths were ascribed
to influenza, all of these occurring amongst the elderly.
Scabies.
The arrangements for the treatment of the diminishing number of
those infected with scabies at the car park building were continued
until towards the end of the year. During the year, there had been a
further marked fall in the numbers of those attending, the total of these in
the first 10 months of the year being 95. This condition, then, is no
longer a public health problem in this district. In order to facilitate
the adaptation of the car park building to its new use as a rehabilitation
centre, the scabies clinic was closed early in November.
TUBERCULOSIS.
Notification.
As with other diseases, notification is required by the medical practitioner
attending the patient. These are the primary notifications
or those sent in on Form A. In addition, there are the weekly
returns made by the medical superintendents of institutions at which those
suffering from tuberculosis are treated, both of those admitted and discharged
during the week. Sometimes cases are brought to the notice
of the authority in this way about whom notifications on Form A have
not been received. Then when a patient transfers from one district to