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53
"On the Monday and Wednesday following the 10-day
course of prophylactic treatment, i.e., spread over a fortnight,
swabs were again taken from staff and children remaining in
the Nurseries, and again all were negative.
"Higham Hill Day Nursery was back to its pre-epidemic
attendance by the 12th February, i.e., in three weeks, and
Handsworth Avenue by the 14th February.
"Concurrent with dysentery in the Nursery, measles and
whooping cough were also epidemic in the Borough, and to
some extent affected day nursery attendances.
" It is felt that the use of this prophylactic was justified.
"Some 3,500 tables were required at a total cost of
£28 9s. 4d."
Washing Facilities at Schools.
In February a question was raised as to the supply of paper
towels in schools other than infants' schools which were already
being supplied. The cost of supplying all schools was found to
be prohibitive, and it was finally decided to supply paper towels
to those schools in which dysentery had occurred and until cases
had ceased for two weeks.
Bacillary Dysentery at Nursery School.
The first case of Sonne Dysentery was notified in mid-February,
the school being cleared by mid-April with a total of 42 cases.
The routine which had been worked out for the control at Day
Nurseries was applied, including the prophylactic use of a
sulphonamide (Thalazole).
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM
Two cases were reported and in neither case was vision
impaired.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA
The total of notifications rose to 43 as against 14 in 1950 and
17 in 1949 and an average of 27 each year during the period
The new regulations came into force on August 1st, notifications
during the previous seven months being 15 and during the
subsequent five months 28—wholly due to the new definition of
notifiable pyrexia. Forty of the notifications were from hospitals.