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12
I am hopeful that the system of immunisation against diphtheria
which has now been approved by the Council will limit the number
of fatalities which occur each year from this disease.
The outbreak of paratyphoid fever was not traced to its source.
Some suspicion in the London epidemic of this disease attached to
supplies of cream, this was not so in Ilford, and I am not satisfied
that there is sufficient evidence in the London cases to clearly prove
that cream was the cause of the epidemic. It is possible that some
unsuspected foodstuff is responsible.
Ilford has been fortunate so far in its experience with smallpox,
as the one case which occurred, by the sensible action of the contacts
in consenting to immediate vaccination, did not infect others.
A neighbouring borough is, however, experiencing the full force
of a smallpox epidemic, and it is unlikely that Ilford, with a largely
unvaccinated population, can escape.
The type of smallpox in this country is still mainly of a nonfatal
character, but the cost to the local authorities and the
inconvenience and loss to trade is enormous.
In the year 1927, 14,767 cases of smallpox were notified in
England and Wales, with 36 deaths.
The country generally is paying heavily for its neglect of
vaccination and re-vaccination.
I am glad to report that the much-needed cubicle wards at the
Isolation Hospital, which I first recommended in 1920, are completed
and have already proved their value. The open-air school, the need
for which I pointed out in 1919, is also occupied, and a list of
children waiting for admission as vacancies occur is prepared. Some
attempt has recently been made to discredit the value of special
open-air schools by suggesting that they would be unnecessary if
every school were made an open-air school, Although there can be