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In another case the patient, a man of 46 years, was admitted to
hospital suffering from diarrhoea, sickness and abdominal pain, and while
there Salmonella typhi-murium was isolated from a specimen of faeces.
Bacteriological investigation of the patient's family was carried out but
the results proved negative. As the patient was a grocery and provision
merchant, faecal specimens were also obtained from six members of the
staff of his shop, but these again proved to be negative.
In two other cases of food poisoning which were investigated, the
organism responsible was also Salmonella typhi-murium, and in a third
case the organism isolated was Salmonella newport.
Another incident concerned a husband and wife who suffered
diarrhoea and sickness within a few hours of one another. Bacteriological
examination of faecal specimens and remnants of the food consumed
did not reveal any specific food poisoning organism.
In the remaining single isolated case bacteriological examination
again failed to establish the nature of the causal organism.
MEASLES.
One hundred and thirty-four cases of measles were notified during
the year compared with 660 in 1957. No death from the disease was
recorded. Generally speaking, the disease was mild in character and
all the cases notified were nursed at home.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA.
The Puerperal Pyrexia Regulations 1951 define this illness as any
febrile condition occurring in a woman in whom a temperature of
100.4°F. or more has occurred within fourteen days after childbirth or
miscarriage.
During the year 19 notifications were received, all but one of the
cases occurring in hospital. Of the 19 notifications, 16 of the patients
had addresses outside the Borough.
In 1957 25 cases were notified.
PNEUMONIA.
Twenty-five cases of acute primary or influenzal pneumonia were
notified during the year, compared with 24 in 1957 and 34 in 1956. The
total number of deaths from all forms of the disease during the year
was 26 compared with 30 in 1957.
POLIOMYELITIS.
Only one case occurred. This was a schoolboy of 9 years who was
admitted to hospital in the early part of December with weakness of the
left leg, and was later diagnosed as suffering from paralytic poliomyelitis.
The usual precautions with regard to the exclusion and supervision of
contacts was carried out.
The patient had not been vaccinated against poliomyelitis.
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