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37
Tuberculosis is an infectious condition, and the
treatment required to cure pulmonary tuberculosis involves
a long period of rest. When the infection comes to the
bread-winner it is a very serious matter for the family and
puts a great strain on the financial resources. There is
also the necessity of preventing the spread of infection from
the infected person to healthy members of the family circle.
This requires isolation, nearly always at home, for long
periods, throwing a further strain on already limited
resources. The Kingston and District Tuberculosis Care
Committee was formed for the purpose of encouraging and
assisting sufferers from tuberculosis towards recovery.
During 1952 166 families were helped, the form of help
being extra nourishment, clothing, money grants for removals,
bedding, fares, pocket money, correspondence courses, and
miscellaneous items and a total of £1492 was expended from
the funds of the Conmittee on this work.
Whoo-ping Cough.
There were 102 cases of whooping cough notified during
1952 as compared with 222 in 1951- This is a debilitating
infection occurring mostly in early childhood.
Fifty-five of the above notifications were in respect
of children under five years of age, and, of the common
childhood illnesses, whooping cough is the most serious,
and has the greatest national fatality and disability rates.
The Surrey County Council received the approval of the
Minister of Health during 1952 to make further arrangements
for immunisation against whooping cough in Surrey. Your
Medical Officer of Health was authorised to act as the agent
of the Surrey County Council for this matter in Kingston,
and immunisation against whooping cough is now being carried
out in Kingston at clinics and by general practitioners.
In some cases immunisation against diphtheria and vaccination
against whooping cough is performed in a combined process.
Scabies.
During the year the scheme for treating cases and contacts
of scabies continued to operate as described in previous
reports, treatment being carried out at the Corporation
Cleansing Station, Burton Road. Thirty cases and contacts
were dealt with during 1952 as compared with thirty-one in
1951.
It was. decided that the number of cases occurring was
not sufficient to warrant the cost of providing and maintaining
a oleanslng station, and consequently this service
was discontinued with the approval of the Town Council at
the end o£ 1952. Individual arrangements will be made in
respect of any case being referred to the Public Health
Department for scabies treatment in the future.
INFESTATION BY HEAD LICE
During 1952 there was no evidence of special incidence
of Infestation by head lice.
B.D.T. preparations were used in addition to the usual
clearsing by water and soft soap or shampoo.
It was not found necessary to take any statutory action
for infestation by lice during the year.