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In all, 28 patients were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital
as poliomyelitis or polioencephalitis. These cases occurred between
the 18th June and 30th December, 1947. In 5 of the 28 cases
the diagnosis was not confirmed. Two of these were children with a
transient pyrexia, 2 were cases of tonsillitis, and one proved to be a
case of tuberculous meningitis. This last case terminated fatally and
a post-mortem was held. Of the 23 confirmed cases 19 were from
Wimbledon, 3 from Kingston, and one from Morden.
Eleven of the 23 confirmed cases had definite paralysis, 9 of them
from the Wimbledon area. Of the remaining 12 cases which did not
develop paralysis 10 came from Wimbledon.
The only fatal case was a youth aged 15 years, who was admitted
from an outside area at the end of December. This patient, who
was suffering from bulbo-spinal poliomyelitis, was placed in a mechanical
respirator, but died on the 3rd January, 1948, 5 days after
admission.
One of the patients admitted to the Hospital had a history of
tonsillectomy which had been performed 17 days prior to admission.
This child had a mild bulbar type of the disease.
In all, 3 patients required the use of mechanical respirators.
One was a boy aged 11 years, who needed the assistance of a respirator
from the 18th June to the 6th December. The second was a
woman aged 37 years. The McKesson resuscitator was also required
in this case to enable nursing assistance to be carried out. This
patient was placed in a mechanical respirator on the 6th August, 1947,
and still needed its assistance at the end of the year. The third patient
who required the use of a respirator was a youth aged 15 years, who
died 5 days after admission.
Frequent visits to the Hospital were made by the Orthopaedic
Surgeon, and all cases were seen by him. Where necessary the
services of a Neurologist were also called in. Physio-therapeutic
measures were carried out as required. All patients with paralysis,
however slight, were transferred to the Rowley Bristow Orthopaedic
Hospital, Pyrford. Cases without paralysis were discharged after
21 days and were followed up at the Orthopaedic Clinic held at the
Health Centre.
The admission of these cases of poliomyelitis placed a severe
strain on the medical and nursing staff, especially in view of the
general shortage of nurses. Extremely skilled nursing technique is
needed, especially in connection with the severe types of this disease.
At one stage in the epidemic, in order to conserve staff, it was found
necessary to restrict the admissions of infectious diseases to cases of
poliomyelitis and polioencephalitis only.
At the end of the year 3 cases of poliomyelitis remained in the
Infectious Diseases Hospital. Of the remainder, 7 had been transferred
to the Orthopaedic Hospital at Pyrford, and 13 had been discharged
home.
Diphtheria.
During 1947 eight cases were admitted to the Hospital as
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