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8
Outbreak No. 3.
There was a small outbreak involving a family of five of whom three
suffered from food poisoning due to an organism known as Salmonella
typhimurium.
The origin of the infection was never discovered. All three patients
were treated in hospital and made good recoveries.
Apart from these outbreaks there were nine isolated cases. Six of
these were due to an organism known as Salmonella typhimurium and
three were due to unknown agencies. The source of infection was
not. traced in any case.
One of the patients infected with Salmonella typhimurium was
elderly and in such poor general health that she was unable to overcome
the infection and died after a few days.
Though food poisoning in this country is generally without very
serious results, there may be fatal results when those infected are
very young, old, or in delicate health.
Tuberculosis.
Reference to Section F shows that 74 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis
were notified compared with 84 in 1952. This number is still
high and is an indication of careful searching for cases by the medical
profession and the increasing consciousness of the disease in the minds
of the general public. No less than 28 cases were diagnosed in
children of school age or under, whereas until quite recently, such
cases were rarely notified.
Earlier admission of cases to hospital or sanatorium is effective by
removing the source. Good facilities for the examination of contacts
by X-Rays and skin tests, lead to the discovery of early cases which
readily respond to treatment.
Mass Radiology continues to play an important part by revealing
unsuspected cases and by making the public conscious of this ever
present menace.
These measures, together with modern methods of treatment and a
proposed scheme to offer preventive vaccination to school children,
should have the effect of greatly reducing the incidence of this disease
and perhaps even eradicating it eventually from the community.