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66
Influenza.
Influenza as such is not notifiable. Some, but not a very reliable,
guide to its prevalence is given by the notifications received of those
suffering from influenzal pneumonia. The spread of an influenza epidemic
is very rapid. When it has appeared in any part of this country, an
indication of its affecting any district is obtained from the study of the
daily record of absenteeism in one or more industrial plants, or schools,
by a rise in the number of new insurance claims, or by an increase in
the number of requests for admission to hospital, especially for
pneumonia.
The district was not affected by any epidemic wave of influenza
during the year. The deaths of six persons were ascribed to influenza;
most of these occurred in the last few weeks of the year and almost all
were amongst those over 75 years of age.
Psittacosis
The existence of acute illness in humans the result of infection by
parrots, has been recognised for many years. Because of the many cases
that occurred in the country early in 1930, the Parrots (Prohibition of
Import) Regulations were made and came into force that year. These
regulations prohibited the importation into the country (except of those
required for medical or veterinary research or those to be consigned to
any body specially authorised to receive them) of parrots, this term
including parrakeets and love birds. As from 8th January, 1952, these
regulations were revoked by the Parrots (Prohibition of Import) (Revocation)
Regulations, 1951.
During this last year a number of cases of psittacosis in humans have
been recognised. There was a suspect case in this district. A family
in Wealdstone who have a number of cage birds, purchased a parrot on
the 20th December; the bird soon sickened and died on the 25th December.
An adult female member of the household fell ill on the 24th
December, and was removed to hospital where a provisional diagnosis
of psittacosis was made. Laboratory investigations, however, failed to
confirm the diagnosis.
Infection seems to be spread by the patient having had close contact
with a bird. Transmission from one human to another has occasionally
been suspected. The cases of human illness have apparently been
infected by recently imported birds. Apart from any risk by the introduction
of new birds, there would seem to be no grounds of apprehending
danger from cage birds which have been in a household for many months.
The sick birds are infectious to humans and at times to other birds. After
a sick bird has been removed, careful scrubbing and disinfection of the
cages, perches, and other articles used in attending to the birds is
necessary to try to avoid infection of the healthy birds.
TUBERCULOSIS
Notification.
The Tuberculosis Regulations of 1912, 1921 and 1924 were rescinded
by the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1930, which came into