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early days of the century were so damaging, has so declined that they no
longer loom as public health dangers. Others at times take their place.
From 1947 when poliomyelitis first attacked this country on a national
scale this infection has been feared each summer. By active immunisation
it is now being controlled. In the winter months there is always the fear of
an outbreak of influenza. Even when the fatality rate is not high, so little
can be done to control its spread and its attack rate is so high that it can
cause severe disruption to the life of the community. Although there are
hopes that the vaccines now available could help to control the infection,
as yet there is nothing to stem its march. Smallpox too is an ever-present
fear. Apart from such incidents though, the infections do not now occupy
the important position they used to and it may be that in some cases they
are being treated too lightly; certainly scarlet fever is in that position. It
is not being treated sufficiently seriously even by some of the doctors. The
true incidence of food poisoning and of dysentery is just not known; the
actual number of notifications is very short of the number of persons
affected, and yet it is so very necessary that all cases should be known,
not only so that steps might be taken to prevent further infection occurring
from the source which gives rise to the first case, but so that preventive
measures can be taken to reduce the risk of similar lapses in hygienic
standards leading to similar trouble. While then the great killers are not
exacting their toll, much time still has to be devoted to other infections
which while not causing dramatic numbers of deaths are nevertheless accounting
for much illness, pain and suffering, and loss of earning capacity
not only that of the patient himself but of those who have to look after
him. The control of infections then continues to be a most important part
of the duties of those in the Public Health Services.
The measures which can be taken vary with the different diseases and
include:—
Notification. The infectious diseases notifiable under the Public
Health Act, 1936 are—smallpox, cholera, diphtheria, membranous croup,
erysipelas, scarlet fever, typhus, typhoid, enteric and relapsing fevers.
A local authority can, with the sanction of the Minister, add to the
list of diseases which are notifiable. In this way, pemphigus of the newborn
has been made notifiable in this district.
The Minister of Health is empowered to take steps to control the
spread of various infections. Under these he has made regulations which
call for the notification of the following conditions:—plague, acute
poliomyelitis, acute encephalitis, meningococcal infection, tuberculosis,
Puerperal pyrexia, ophthalmia neonatorum, malaria, dysentery, acute
pnmary pneumonia, acute influenzal pneumonia, measles and whooping
cough. Puerperal pyrexia is any febrile condition occurring in a woman
when a temperature of 100.4°F. or more has occurred within fourteen
days after childbirth or miscarriage. Ophthalmia neonatorum is defined as
Purulent discharge from the eye of an infant commencing within twenty-