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Influenza
At the end of 1958 there were signs that influenza was on the increase and from mid
January to mid March the incidence was heavy—schools were considerably handicapped
by absences of staff for this reason. There were 12 deaths from influenza.
Dysentery
Thirty-eight notifications of dysentery were received in 1959. Of these, 15 were confirmed
as caused by Shigella Sonnei, one as amoebic dysentery. Two cases notified as
dysentery were subsequently confirmed as food poisoning and six notified as gastro-enteritis
were subsequentiy confirmed as Sonne Dysentery. The amoebic dysentery occurred in an
Indian immigrant and contacts were found to be clear of the disease. Of the other confirmed
cases, in one instance two members of one family were affected and in one instance three
members; the others were isolated cases, with no apparent spread of infection.
Smallpox (Variola)
No cases of smallpox occurred in the Borough during the year. No contacts of smallpox
were notified from the Port Authorities, or from the Airport Authorities.
Vaccination against Smallpox
The total figures for vaccination showed a slight improvement in 1959, and the percentage
of children receiving vaccination during their first year of life rose from 45 in 1957
to 52 in 1958, rose again to reach 55 in 1959, and as this figure has been falling for years it is
satisfactory to find an upward trend now.

Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina)
The number of notifications received during the year was 124 as compared with 45 for
the previous year. There were five secondary cases, i.e. occurring within three weeks
following the notification of a previous case in the same household. This infection, which
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