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WHOOPING COUGH
There was a decrease in notifications in 1961, 27 being received compared
with 55 in I960, and 5, 10, 108 and 82 in the four previous years. Only one
of the notified cases was admitted to hospital. Whooping cough is one of the
most serious of childhood illnesses and immunisation of all infants against
the disease is strongly recommended. Most babies are now immunised against
whooping cough with a triple antigen combining whooping cough, diphtheria and
tetanus and this treatment should be commenced by at least the third month.
POLIOMYELITIS
Only one case occurred, but unfortunately this proved to be fatal. This
was a man of 35 years who was admitted to hospital shortly after returning to
this country from a holiday tour of the Middle East. There was severe paralysis
in this case and the patient died ten days after admission to hospital. It
seems very probable that the man was infected while he was abroad. He had not
been vaccinated against poliomyelitis. There were a considerable number of
contacts who had to be traced as the patient had returned home to this country
by air during the time he was believed to be infectious, but no further cases
were reported.
This was the first case of poliomyelitis to have occurred in Wimbledon
since 1959 and would indicate that vaccination is proving effective in the
control of this disease. A high proportion of Wimbledon children have been
vaccinated against poliomyelitis.
MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION
One case occurred in a child of six years who was admitted to hospital with
sickness and headache and pain at the back of one leg. This was considered by
the hospital to be a case of meningococcal meningitis and was notified as such
although no pathological organism was isolated. The child made a good recovery.
DIPHTHERIA
There were no cases of diphtheria in Wimbledon, but in England and Wales
there were 62 confirmed cases, 10 more than in the previous year. These figures
show clearly that diphtheria is still about and these numbers will increase
unless immunisation is maintained at a high level. Every effort is made through
propaganda and other means to remind parents of the importance of obtaining
protection for their children, but the level of immunisation is still below
what is aimed at. It is particularly important that children are given their
initial protection in their first year of life.
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