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organisms were recovered and no special foodstuffs were suspected. In
such circumstances it is doubtful whether the alimentary disturbance
from which the patients suffered is really the result of a food poisoning
and it is virtually impossible to obtain confirmation.
Of the eighteen incidents, four occurred in October, three each in
March and September, two each in February and December.
ERYSIPELAS
There was a rise last year in the number of notifications of those
suffering from erysipelas. Of the fifteen notifications, five related to men,
the rest to women. In two instances the condition followed injury. The
face was the site affected in eleven. Only one patient was removed to
hospital. None of the cases was fatal.
MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION
Thirteen persons were removed to hospital suspected to be suffering
from meningococcal meningitis. Five were later considered to be suffering
from meningitis, but not due to the meningococcus ; and in fact in no
instance was the diagnosis confirmed.
ACUTE ANTERIOR POLIOMYELITIS
I960 proved to be a year in which the country as a whole was only
lightly attacked by poliomyelitis, in no week there being as many as
twenty cases notified and in all only 383 (258 paralytic and 125 nonparalytic).
The large numbers of susceptibles who have been inoculated
against this infection must have contributed to this satisfactory position.
Locally the situation was even more satisfactory. Although nine persons
were admitted to hospital suspected to be suffering from poliomyelitis,
in none was the diagnosis confirmed. There was, however, a girl of
twenty-six who was admitted suspected to be suffering from meningitis.
The diagnosis was not confirmed and type 1 poliomyelitis virus was
recovered from the stools. Her illness may or may not have been due to
poliomyelitis.
Immunisation. The arrangements for inoculating sections of the
population with killed vaccine continued to run smoothly, most of the
work carried out being the routine inoculation of babies.
In February the age of those eligible to be inoculated was raised to
forty. Other groups who also became eligible included dental surgeons,
practising nurses not working in hospitals, Public Health staffs who
might come into contact with poliomyelitis and also the families of those
in these groups.