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Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Two cases of ophthalmia neonatorum were notified during the year.
Acute Poliomyelitis.
Six cases of poliomyelitis were notified in the Borough during the year.
Four cases were left with residual paralysis and further treatment by physiotherapy
was arranged for these cases.
New Regulations with regard to the notification of poliomyelitis, polio-encephalitis
and meningococcal infection were issued by the Ministry of Health during December, 1949,
in which it was laid down that special certificates should be used for these diseases in order
to obtain more satisfactory figures, both as to the occurrence of the disease and the types, and
the Registrar-General's returns were altered to include the new headings as laid down by the
Regulations.
Notifiable Diseases during the Year
For the incidence of various infectious diseases, notified during the year, under age
groups and locality, see Appendix, Tables IX and X.
Infectious Disease Visits
During the year, the Sanitary Inspectors paid 203 visits with reference to cases of
infectious disease. In addition, the County Health Visitors did a certain amount of home
and school visiting in connection with infectious diseases.
Tuberculosis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
The number of new cases notified during the year was 80.
Other Forms of Tuberculosis.
The number of new cases notified during the year was 4.
Of the total notifications 27 were received from institutions (County Council hospitals,
8; general hospitals, 19).
Deaths from Tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis of the respiratory system, 14; other forms, 1.
For details of new cases notified and deaths in 1950, see Appendix, Table XI, and for
the occupations of new cases see Appendix, Table XII.
Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925.
Public Health Act, 1936, Section 172.
Action under these powers was not necessary during the year.
Table XIII shows the housing particulars of 65 of the 84 cases of tuberculosis notified
in 1950. Of the 19 cases remaining, 8 were permanent residents of an institution at the
time of development of the disease and the other 11 could not be followed up either because
of immediate removal from the district or some similar reason. In 6 instances there were
found to be 2 infected persons in one house, but in 2 of these instances only was the house
crowded, and statutory overcrowding was confirmed in one of these two.
Graph B demonstrates the incidence of tuberculosis notifications and deaths for the
past twenty-one years.
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