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Your Council has authorised me to give due publicity to this
important subject and with the co-operation of the press I have
repeatedly advocated that it is the duty of parents and teachers
to discourage young people from acquiring the smoking habit,
and that there is ample evidence to justify the prohibition of
smoking in public enclosed spaces such as cinemas, theatres
and public vehicles.
In addition to 3 fatal road accidents, the same as last year,
there were 7 other accidents which gives a total of 10, or 2 less
than 1955. This is double the number caused by tuberculosis
(5).
Infectious Diseases
The outstanding feature of the year has been the prevalence
of dysentery. Although of a mild type (Sonne), for which few
cases required admission to hospital, and none were fatal, the
disease caused a good deal of disturbance in some elementary
schools, and much more work for the Public Health Department.
In addition to the 129 cases and carriers revealed by notification
and by routine investigation of contacts, many others undoubtedly
escaped detection because of the mildness and
brevity of the illlness. Such "missed" or abortive cases are mainly
responsible for failure to eradicate this disease, which continues
to be widespread in all parts of the country.
It cannot be repeated too often that careful handwashing
after every visit to the toilet by everybody is the key to the
elimination of dysentery and other enteric diseases from the
community. Young children require constant supervision and
training in this respect.
Four cases of paratyphoid fever were notified during the
year. Two of these were traced to a known source of infection
at a bakery in the neighbouring district, where the use of
contaminated Chinese egg products was thought to be the
most likely cause. The third case was a contact of one of the
above, during the period of infectivity, and was of the same
type of infection (S. Paratyphi B, Phage Type Taunton). The
fourth case was unrelated to the others (S. Paratyphi B, Phage
Type Dundee) and in spite of exhaustive investigation it was
not possible to trace the source of this infection.
An epidemic of mild whooping cough occurred during the
Spring; only five of the 249 notified cases required treatment
and there were no deaths.
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