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41
It is assumed that the biennial character of the wave of incidence of
measles is the result of the accumulation of a number of susceptibles.
If this is the case, then the fact that over a thousand children suffered
from measles in 1950 ought to be followed by the lighter incidence in the
district in the attack of the epidemic year.
After the virtual freedom from attack in all schools in the spring
term, a number were afflicted in the summer term; those most heavily
attacked being Stanburn Infants, with 100 cases; Stag Lane Infants,
with 85; and Longfield Infants, with 50.
WHOOPING COUGH
The weekly average of three notifications in the first four months of
the year rose to 24 in the summer months. There was a sharp fall in
the autumn. This was followed by an even sharper rise in December,
the prelude to a heavy invasion in the early part of 1951; 772 cases were
notified. There were no deaths from this infection during the year.
As was the case with measles, most schools were free from pertussis
during the spring term, and it was not until the summer term that most
were attacked. In that term virtually every one had some sufferers,
though no school was heavily attacked, none having as many as 30 cases.
The break of the summer holidays did not see the freeing of schools
from this infection, as it did in the case of measles, as most of these schools
which were attacked in the summer term continued to have small numbers
of cases in the autumn term.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA
Six patients were notified as suffering from puerperal pyrexia. Two
of these were in respect of women who had been delivered in hospitals in
London. In two the raised temperature was probably the result of an
upper respiratory infection or of influenza. In one patient it was considered
to be the result of retained uterine products. The remaining
patient developed pelvic cellulitis.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM
No notifications were received during the year of infants suffering
from the inflammation of the eyes.
PEMPHIGUS
One infant was diagnosed as suffering from pemphigus neonatorum.
The attendant was not present at the delivery, which took place in an
unsatisfactory home, no arrangements having been made for the confinement.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIONS
These infections are not notifiable, and knowledge of the prevalence
of most of them is obtained from the intimations received from the head
teachers about children absent from school, as sufferers or as contacts.
Chickenpox.
Intimations were received from the head teachers of the local schools