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This single notification represents the lowest figure for this disease
recorded in Wimbledon since 1944.
In 1957 there were 10 confirmed cases.
DYSENTERY.
Twenty-four cases of dysentery were notified compared with 9 in
1957, 15 in 1956, 2 in 1955 and 14 in 1954. There were two outbreaks,
in the first of these a boy of 7 years, one of a family of eight, developed
diarrhoea and within a matter of days, the father, and the other six
children of the family, and a Home Help who was employed daily in
the home, also developed mild symptoms of dysentery. Following
bacteriological investigation of the whole family and the Home Help,
four of the children and the Home Help were found to be positive for
Shigella Sonnei. All the patients responded well to treatment and made
good recoveries.
In the second outbreak three children, all belonging to one family,
were sent home from school suffering from diarrhoea. A younger brother,
aged 3 years, was also ill with diarrhoea. Three weeks before the children
became ill the father had also had an attack of diarrhoea. Stool specimens
taken from all the members of the household and sent for
examination, confirmed the presence of Shigella Sonnei in the case of
the father and three children of the family. The patients all responded
quickly to treatment.
The remaining cases occurred either singly or among not more
than two persons in individual families in various parts of the Borough,
and were unrelated to each other. In 9 of these cases, although having
definite dysentery symptoms, no causative agent was identified on
examination.
Every case of dysentery is followed up very closely and the importance
of personal hygiene in preventing the spread of infection is
stressed at all times. Dysentery is generally a mild illness, but will
spread rapidly in nurseries and schools unless quickly checked.
WHOOPING COUGH.
During 1958 only 10 notifications of whooping cough were received,
compared with 108, 82, 139 and 74 in the last four years. This is the
lowest number of notifications received since 1940 when the disease first
became notifiable. The immunisation of all children against whooping
cough is strongly recommended and this treatment should be commenced
at 3 months of age.
CERTIFICATES OF VACCINATION AND INOCULATION.
In order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, certain
countries require that visitors should be vaccinated or inoculated against
specified diseases.
International certificates have been prescribed for smallpox, yellow
fever and cholera. When completed by the medical practitioner, the
certificate must be authenticated by the Medical Officer of Health.
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