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59
informed of developments including up-to-date information as to drug
sensitivity of organisms.
An essential and important factor undertaken by the public
health inspectors is the opportunity to stress the necessity for
personal hygiene, especially to those concerned with food handling
and the care of young children. Every effort is also made to ensure
that personal hygiene is intensified and adhered to during outbreaks.
Furthermore, everything is done to prevent contact of individuals, in
particular children. with persons outside the infected home until the
whole family is free from infection.
Measures such as these tend to decrease the spread of the disease
and also act as an education in personal hygiene.
Tuberculosis.
During 1964, seventeen cases were reported in Kingston, and of
these 12 referred to lungs. The corresponding figure for 1963 was 14,
of which 10 were lung cases.
Whilst we can claim that fear and pessimism concerning tuberculosis
have been largely removed from people's minds, and there is considerable
satisfaction to be derived from the decline in the number of new cases,
there are many cases on the register receiving treatment and attention
at the Chest Clinic.
It is therefore necessary to remember that breakdown and infectivity
are continually possible in these cases. It is to be hoped that
in due course continued effects of improved living conditions of the
populace, continued advances in therapeutio treatment, facilities for
early detection of tuberculosis by public mass x-ray sessions and B.C.G.
vaccination of school children will eventually bring the disease to the
Point of eradication.
The following table shows comparative figures of notified cases
and deaths for the years 1955 to 1964 (inclusive)