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38
Poliomyelitis.
No cases of poliomyelitis were notified in Kingston
during 1959. The last case was notified in October, 1957.
During the week commencing 22nd June 1959, a special
Poliomyelitis Vaccination Week was inaugurated and twenty
special vaccination sessions were held at clinics in the
Division in an effort to persuade young persons up to age of
26 years to have their first injections against paralytic
poliomyelitis. Appointments were not necessary and every new
person attending was given a date for his second injection
when he received the first.
Following a widespread and massive publicity campaign
which was mounted during the week commencing 15th June 1959,
a total of 3,872 vaccinations were given, of which 3,181 were
first injections. The number for Grange Road Clinic was 821.
This was made possible by the co-operation of a large number
of paid and voluntary workers especially the staffs of County
District Public Health Departments, who were responsible for
publicity in their own areas. Civil Defence Staff and volunteers,
voluntary organisations including British Red Cross
Society, St. John Ambulance Brigade, and Women's Voluntary
Service, and shopkeepers and factory managements who displayed
and distributed publicity materials Local newspapers also
showed a helpful interest in the campaign, despite their own
difficulties at the time and British Railways Advertising
Service extended full co-operation.
The week's campaign was applied to the whole of the
North Central Division and included the Boroughs of Maiden
and Coombe, Surbiton, and the Urban District of Esher.
I record my appreciation and thanks for the unfailing
help given to me by all concerned in making the Poliomyelitis
Vaccination Week such an outstanding success. This effort
was successful not only in the specific field of poliomyelitis
vaccination but in the inspiration which all who took part
found in the week's work.
Enteric Fever (Typhoid or Paratyphoid).
There were no cases of typhoid or paratyphoid B notified
in Kingston during 1959 and this is the twelfth successive
year without notification of enteric fever. Infection that
does occur is mostly imported from abroad through contaminated
foodstuffs, but polluted water courses and streams can carry
the organism and indiscriminate bathing and drinking of contaminated
impure water can be dangerous.
Dysentery (Sonne).
A total of 25 oases of dysentery was notified during
1959 compared with 167 during 1958. These notifications were
all in respect of individuals or individual families. No
outbreaks occurred during the year.
Sporadic individual dysentery cases are becoming a normal
occurrence each year. The illness is mild but it has a
possible serious effect on young babies and debilitated persons.
Every effort is made to prevent the spread of possible
infection although the disease can and does run rapidly
through schools, etc, Its presence in a nursery, for example,
can be a serious matter.