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INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Infectious illnesses throughout the year were of a mild
nature, and there were no notified cases of poliomyelitis or
diphtheria. The mild form of infective diarrhoea known as
"Sonne Dysentery", which has been prevalent among children
throughout the country in recent years, caused a good deal of
anxiety to parents and teachers at several schools, and numerous
investigations and visits were made by the department in efforts
to limit the spread of the disease. Authorities everywhere are
finding control of this infection to be extremely difficult because
most of the cases are so mild and short in duration that they go
undetected or are not reported, though they are highly infectious.
As has been said many times before, a high standard of personal
hygiene is the only way of breaking the chain of infection and
the t raining of young children and all who handle foodstuffs to
wash their hands thoroughly after every visit to the toilet, is the
most important single measure likely to achieve success.
Whilst not wishing to make light of the discomforts of
this disease, I feel that many parents and teachers become unduly
alarmed because of the use of the word "Dysentery", which has
associations with a much more serious and often fatal complaint
oocurring under tropical, wartime and other adverse conditions.
Although both diseases are caused by germs of similar appearance
and cultural characteristics (i.e., types of the Bacillus
Dysenteriae), Sonne Dysentery should be regarded from the practical
point of view with no greater degree of importance than the common
cold or chicken pox.
PUBLIC HEALTH (INFECTIOUS DISEASES) REGULATIONS. 1953.
2 persons who were required under the above Regulations
to suspend their employment as food-handlers in order to prevent the
risk of spread of food-borne infections, were compensated by the
Council for loss of earnings amounting to £l6.4.0d., and £26.1.4d.,
respectively.
MASS X-RAY,
Mass Radiography Unit 6A operated at five locations in the
District during the last two weeks of May by arrangement with the
North East Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board. A detailed
analysis of the response and results is given in the tables on
page nine of the report, from which it will be seen that a total
of 3,365 persons attended either individually or in organised
groups, in addition to 364 at a special visit of the Unit to Messrs
W. & C. French Ltd. The Direotor of the Unit reports as follows:-
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