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59
Mumps.
This complaint was more prevalent in 1949 than in the previous year,
621 intimations being received from the head teachers as compared with
the figure of 317 in 1948. Schools were attacked mostly in the spring
term, in most of them the attack being limited to this term. This was
the case at the Grange, Harrow Weald Junior, Stanburn Junior and
Infants, Vaughan Road Infants and Welldon Park. Cannon Lane School
was the only one which was attacked in the spring and again in the summer
term, this being the only school attacked to any extent in the summer.
There was virtually no mumps from then until minor attacks at two
schools in November.
German Measles.
During 1949 only 21 intimations of the occurrence of this infection
were received from the head teacher of the schools.
Influenza.
This condition is not notifiable and indication of its prevalence is
obtained either from the number of deaths ascribed to it or from the
the number of notifications received of acute influenzal pneumonia.
Neither of these is a very reliable index. In the first three months of
the year thirteen deaths were ascribed to this infection, most of these
occurring amongst the elderly.
Scabies.
No intimations are now received of the incidence of those infected
with scabies, as the condition is not notifiable and the local authority
no longer provides facilities for treatment. Before the war from time to
time requests were received from the almoners of hospitals asking for
advice to be given sufferers. No similar requests seem to be received
these days. This is more likely to be because modern methods of treatment
are much more efficacious, and more easily applied than that the
disease has so completely disappeared. As far as it is known its incidence
in this district before the was was never very high. Having regard to the
trend throughout the country before the war and the marked incidence
during the war years, it is unlikely that to-day's incidence here will be
any lower than it was pre-war.
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 those 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
another, the particulars of that patient are sent from the one to the other