View report page

t
17
Diphtheria.
Only 14 cases of Diphtheria occurred in the Borough during the year, and it is necessary
to go back as far as 1905 to find an equal or smaller number of notifications, and it must be
remembered that at that time the population of the town was only about one half of its present
number. Eight of the cases occurred in the first two months of the year, and only single cases
arose subsequently and no fatal case occurred.
Detailed reference to the action taken to ascertain which children were liable to contract
the disease and to protect those that were found susceptible were set out in detail in the report
for the year 1935, during which year, it may be recalled, more than 1,500 children were immunized.
The Immunization Clinic has been held on each Saturday, and although the numbers
attending have not equalled those of the preceding year, the fact remains that a large number
of parents who appreciate the value of the procedure are bringing their children to be treated.
All children over seven years of age were Schick Tested before being inoculated. T.A.M. was used
for inoculation and no severe reactions followed.

The total attendances were 2,035
Following is a summary of the work done :—
First Schick Test before inoculation—
Number Susceptible Immune Failed to attend.
212 120 91 1
Number receiving first completed course of injections 288
Second Schick test of those who had completed first course of injections :—
Number Protected Susceptible Failed to attend.
349 290 19 40
All those found to be incompletely protected after the second Schick Test were reinoculated.
One did not appear for re-test.
Other Infectious Diseases.
One case of encephalitis lethargica of somewhat uncertain character was notified. In the
case of paratyphoid fever (B) which was notified in October, careful enquiries failed to elicit
any definite source of infection. No other case of this or similar disease arose.
Although measles and whooping cough were prevalent in the early months of the year,
the type of case did not appear to be severe, only one case of each disease proving fatal.
During the year, the South Middlesex Joint Hospital Board decided to admit certain
cases of erysipelas, measles and whooping cough to their hospital, and under this arrangement
a few cases of these diseases were admitted. When the extensions to the hospital, which
are at present in progress, are completed, it will no doubt be possible to admit a larger
number of these cases who require hospital treatment to a much greater extent than most of the
cases of Scarlet Fever which are sent in.
The Joint Hospital Board also agreed to admit cases of the following diseases—anthrax,
dysentery, encephalitis lethargica, ophthalmia neonatorum, typhus and cholera. The provision
of hospital beds for cases of infectious disease seems therefore to be complete and satisfactory.