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In accordance with Ministry of Health Circular No. 2230,
dated 17th December, 1940, a special effort was made to encourage
parents to have their children immunised, and the number of
children brought for immunisation throughout the year showed
a satisfactory increase, it being estimated that 60 per cent. of the
children in the Borough had been immunised within recent years.
This percentage, while encouraging, is still far short of ideal, and
further efforts must be made to increase the number of children
whose parents take advantage of the facilities afforded them for
this successful method of prevention of Diphtheria.
Measles.
There was a minor epidemic of Measles during the spring and
summer months, but fortunately few of the cases were of a serious
nature, only 10 requiring admission to hospital. Prophylactic use
of Adult Measles Serum was made by many of the doctors with
satisfactory results, the material being supplied through the Health
Department from the stock held in the Centra! Emergency
Pathological Laboratory from the pool organised by the Medical
Research Council.
Scabies.
Towards the end of the year the incidence of Scabies increased
considerably, but the timely issue pf the Scabies Order, 1941,
proved valuable in combatting the epidemic.
Tuberculosis
There were 48 cases of all forms of tuberculosis notified during
1941 (a decrease of 13 on the previous year), and of these 16 cases
(33 per cent.) were transfers from other districts.
There were 25 deaths from tuberculosis during the year ; 10 of
these had not been previously notified as suffering from
Tuberculosis. Particulars of these 10 cases are given below:—
Pulmonary Tuberculosis 7 cases.
Non-Pulmonary Tuberculosis 3 cases.
Ratio of non-notified tuberculosis deaths to total tuberculosis
deaths= 1 to 2.5.
20