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44
The year 1956 showed a very low incidence of infectious disease,
especially in the number of cases of measles, only 502 as compared with
nearly 3,000 in the previous year. Only 396 cases of whooping cough
occurred against 518 in the previous year.
(a) Smallpox.—No cases were notified during 1956.
Under the National Health Service Act. 1946, compulsory vaccination
was abolished, and from 5th July, 1948, this service became the responsibility
of the Essex County Council vide Section 26 of the National Health
Service Act, 1948.
Details of vaccinations during 1956 wili be found in Part 111 section
of this report.
(b) Scarlet Fever.—191 cases occurred in 1956. There were no deaths
from this disease. Only 30 cases were admitted to hospital, the remainder
being nursed at home.
(c) Diphtheria.—No cases occurred in 1956. This is the fifth successive
year in which it has been possible to record a clean " bill of health "
for this disease in llford.
(d) Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—Seven cases occurred in 1956.
The following figures show the number of cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum
notified during the past five years: 1952, nil; 1953, nil; 1954, nil;
1955, nil; 1956, 7. No cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were due to
gonococcal infection.
(e) Enteric fever (Typhoid and Para-Typhoid).
(i) Para-typhoid fever. Six cases (all of which occurred in the springtime)
were reported. They were males of 17, 11, 9 and 5 years and
females of 10 and years.
The patient of 17 years worked as a pastrycook at a local bakery.
A brother of 11 years was subsequently also found to be suffering from
the same disease. It was finally established that the cause of infection was
from artificial cream in cakes in the cases occurring among the male patients.
The cases which occurred in the two females were not found to be
connected with those previously mentioned.
All of the cases were admitted to the llford Isolation Hospital with
the exception of the infant of 1± years. All made a satisfactory recovery.
(ii) Typhoid fever. One case occurred1 in a female of 31 years in the
month of October. The patient was removed to the llford Isolation
Hospital and made a good recovery. The source of infection was not
traced.
(/) Acute Poliomyelitis. Six cases of this disease were notified during
the year. They were males of 4, 5, 8, 8 and 18 years and a female of
9 years. All the cases were removed to hospital—five to the llford Isolation
Hospital and one to St. Anne's Hospital. Tottenham. The male patient
of 18 years died (in 1957) forty days after removal to hospital from a
severe attack of bulbo-spinal poliomyelitis. Of the other five patients three
recovered without complications, two suffered some paralysis, one being
transferred to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital for further treatment.
(g) Acute Encephalitis. Two cases were reported—males of 10 and
30 years. Both were treated in the llford Isolation Hospital and made
a good recovery.
(h) Meningococcal Infection. Four cases were reported. They were
males of 14 years, 8 years, 2\ years and 11 months. All were removed
to the llford Isolation Hospital and made a satisfactory recovery.
(i) Pneumonia—Influenzal and Primary. The number of cases which
occurred during 1956 was 159 as compared with 139 in 1955.