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PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES
The figure for infectious disease notifications during 1955 was 1,768. This was a
high figure but the bulk of the increase over the 1954 figure of 487 was due to measles, the
number of measles cases being 1,329. Measles was widespread throughout the first months
of the year and considerable numbers of notifications were still being received as late as
June. There were, however, no deaths from measles nor from whooping cough.
It is noteworthy that there was also an increase in the incidence of other respiratory
diseases, the whooping cough figure and the pneumonia figure were both increased over the
year 1954, possibly some of these could be attributed to debility caused by the effects of
measles on the general systems of the patients.
The figures for dysentery and food poisoning were good. There was no outbreak of
either of these diseases during the year.
There were no notifications of diphtheria.
Particulars with regard to individual infectious diseases are mentioned specially under
separate headings.
Monthly Bulletins of Incidence of Infectious Disease
These bulletins were circulated monthly to all general practitioners in the Borough,
and, in addition to information with regard to infectious diseases occurring during the
previous month, any topical matter, or incident of mutual interest to general practitioners
and the Public Health Service, was also included; for instance, Home Accidents statistics,
Old People's Welfare information, etc.
Measles
Notifications of measles rose during the year 1955, being 1,329 as compared with 41
the previous year. There were no deaths from measles. The following table shows the
trend of notifications during the past 10 years.
Year No. of Cases Deaths
1946 21 -
1947 334 -
1948 825 1
1949 194 -
1950 701 -
1951 1,129
1952 528 -
1953 931 1
1954 41 -
1955 1,329 -
Poliomyelitis
Twenty-eight notifications were received of acute anterior poliomyelitis; of these 21
were subsequently confirmed as poliomyelitis, 8 paralytic and 13 non-paralytic. Two
deaths occurred from this disease. Particulars of the surviving paralytic cases notified in
1955 and also of those cases notified since 1949, and known to be still showing paralysis
in 1954, are as follows:—
1955: Case A. Bulbar paralysis. Adult male. No limbs affected. Full recovery.
Case B. Paralysis of left Girl aged 2 years. Recovering well. Still some slight
thigh muscles. residual weakness in the left leg. Receiving
therapy treatment.
Case C. Paralysis of small Boy aged 6 years. Full recovery.
muscles of hands
Case D. Mild paralysis of all Adult female. Full recovery.
limbs.
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