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58
Scarlet Fever,,
Only three cases were notified in 1964, and occurred in children
of school age, The infection was of a mild nature and all cases were
treated at home.
As a streptococcal infection scarlet fever is always viewed as
potentially dangerous. Modern drugs however prove to be a good weapon,
and the illness usually takes a mild form.
Poliomyelitis.
No cases of poliomyelitis have been notified in Kingston since
1957. Vaccination against poliomyelitis by the oral method was continued
throughout the year. The bulk of the work in prevention of
poliomyelitis by active immunisation of the population up to 40 years
of age has now been completed,, The main groups which were immunised
during 1964 were infants commencing at the age of six months, and
school children and adults who had failed to attend for immunisation
in previous years.
Many of the young adults who have not so far been protected against
poliomyelitis receive this protection when they later attend the clinics
with their own children.
Oral vaccine by mouth, not only provides protection but also
prevents protected persons from harbouring poliomyelitis virus and
spreading the disease to unprotected persons. This type of vaccine is
of great value during an epidemic because it works quickly.
The vaccine is available for the immunisation of everyone between
six months and 40 years, and in addition for those who may be in contact
with poliomyelitis as a result of their work.
Dysentery (Sonne),
Only two cases of dysentery were notified during 1964 compared
with five during 1963. No outbreaks occurred during the year,
Although the type of cases which occur are normally sporadic
individual dysentery cases there is always an awareness that such infection
can be widely spread by contagion from person to person, and that
the illness can have a serious effect on babies and debilitated
persons.
Most of the notifications received concern children of school age
and under, requiring treatment at home with appropriate segregation
during the carrier stage either by exclusion from school or day nursery.
No effort is spared to prevent the spread of the disease and there is
close liaison with general medical practitioners who are kept fully