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PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
During 1945 seven hundred and eighty seven cases of infectious
disease were notified—two hundred and ninety one more than in
1944. This increase was almost entirely due to an outbreak of
measles between February and June.
Scarlet Fever.—Forty six cases of scarlet fever were notified,
thirty one less than in 1944. The attack rate was 0.98 per thousand
of the population.
Thirty two, or 80.00 per cent of the cases were treated in hospital.
There was no death from this disease.
Diphtheria.—Twelve patients were notified as suffering from
diphtheria during 1945, of whom eleven were admitted to the Infectious
Diseases Hospital. The twelfth was found to be a diphtheria
carrier and was treated at home.
Of the eleven cases admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital,
the diagnosis of diphtheria was confirmed in six. Two of these
patients were adults, and the remaining four were under the age of
fifteen years. Two of these had not been immunised, one had
been partially immunised, whilst the fourth had been immunised in
1942. This latter patient made an uneventful recovery and the case
was not associated with any complications.
The only fatal case which arose was in an unimmunised adult
aged 65 years.
In addition to the foregoing, a soldier aged 25 years, who had
contracted diphtheria abroad immediately before coming home on
leave, was admitted to an Infectious Diseases hospital outside the
district.
The total number of true cases of diphtheria which occurred in
Wimbledon during 1945 was therefore eight—i.e. seven civilians and
one non-civilian.
Diphtheria Immunisation.—Two sessions of the Diphtheria Immunisation
Clinic were held every week at the Health Centre.
The total number of children immunised was five hundred and
twenty seven. In all, one thousand and fifty four attendances were
made for this purpose.
The total number of children under the age of 15 years immunised
in the Borough at 31st December, 1945 (including children
privately immunised) was five thousand and twenty three.
Paratyphoid Fever.—No cases of paratyphoid fever were notified
to the Department.
Food Poisoning.—This became a notifiable disease on 3rd October,
1939. One notification was received during the year.
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