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131
Although it is rarely met with, because of its seriousness when it
does occur, the Council approached the Ministry of Health to add it to
the list of diseases notifiable in the area, the request being acceded to.
In 1954 no cases of pemphigus neonatorum were notified in this area.
NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIONS
Knowledge of the prevalence of some of the infections which are
not notifiable in this district is obtained from intimations received from
the head teachers about the absence of children from school.
Chicken Pox
The district was heavily attacked by chicken pox in 1954, in all
1,381 intimations being received from the schools. While the disease
was most common in the first quarter (551 cases in the three months,
including 344 in March) the disease was quite prevalent in the second
quarter, 447 cases being evenly distributed throughout the three months.
There was a fall in the summer, but the numbers rose steadily in the last
months. There were 298 cases in the last quarter, 144 of them being in
December. In general a heavy prevalence at any school in one term
was associated with a slight incidence in the other terms. For instance
after 86 cases in the first term the Harrow Weald school was virtually
free for the rest of the year; similarly Longfield school with its 92 cases
in the spring term. At the Cedars school, the attack was almost confined
to the summer term. On the other hand Stag Lane school was heavily
attacked both in spring and in the summer terms, while at the Vaughan
Road school the disease was prevalent throughout the whole year.
Contacts of infectious patients are not now excluded from school.
Mumps
The district was never entirely free from mumps in 1954 when 858
intimations were received from the schools. The invasion rose to a
peak in the summer months, falling again in the later months of the year.
As was the case in chicken pox, some schools were infected only in the
pne term. For instance Camrose school had 41 cases in the spring
term; Kenmore and Harrow Weald were attacked in the summer term
only On the other hand Stag Lane was affected both in the spring
and in the summer terms, as also was Aylward school. Some schools such
as Cedars were never entirely free from attack through the whole year.
Contacts are not now excluded from school.
German Measles
At time this infection appears in widepread epidemics without there
being any undue prevalence of the commoner type of measles. More
usualyy it appears at the same time, but if so to nothing like the same
extent as measles. During 1954 intimations were received of 51 cases
scattered throughout the district.
For long accounted as little importance, the disease has in recent
assumed a much more serious aspect because of the possibility of
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