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service on the 30th June; Miss J. Cleghorn was appointed Matron
in her place and commenced duties on the 28th June. Miss D. L.
Rhodes resigned her appointment as Matron of Castelnau Day
Nursery, but did not actually cease duties until after the 4th July,
and was still among the staff transferred to the County on that date.
Miss J. Dupille, a temporary clerk, resigned and left on the 26th
December. Mr. D. Rundle, a temporary clerk, did not elect to
resume his employment in the Department after his period of
National Service expired.
PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS
DISEASES.
The incidence of infectious disease in the Borough during 1948
was once again very low, and it is pleasing to be able to record
that, with the exception of one from acute infectious encephalitis,
no death occurred from any of the major notifiable infectious
diseases.
Poliomyelitis.
In the autumn there were four cases of poliomyelitis in the
Borough—two adults and two children. Two of the cases occurred,
in one family—a child of six years developed the disease, and his
mother later becoming infected. The two children affected both
attended the same school. Three of the cases were severe, and
one was slight; all the patients were treated in hospital, and all
recovered with varying degrees of residual paralysis.
This outbreak, in view of its apparently completely isolated
nature from cases in any other area, was not only investigated by
this Department, but also by special investigators of the Ministry
of Health. Despite the most intensive inquiries, no source of
infection could be ascertained.
Tuberculosis.
The number of new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis notified
during 1948 was smaller by more than a third of the total of the
previous year, which had been unusually high.
At the end of the year, and continuing into 1949, the Barnes
Borough Council arranged for the Mass Radiography Unit of the
South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board to visit the
district to afford free facilities for x-ray to residents of the
Borough and staffs of business houses and commercial undertakings.
Besides sessions for the general public, special sessions
were held for school children, for staffs of business houses and
large finms. Publicity was given through the media of posters,