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Whooping cough
There were 30 cases notified compared with
11 in 1969 and 78 in 1968 Of these 6 were
under the age of one year Vaccination records
show that 5 of the twenty notified cases
under the age of six vears had been immunised
in infancy.
Measles
There were 675 cases notified compared with
576 in 1969 and 466 in 1968 Children under
5 years of age were most heavily involved
(53% of notifications) followed by children in
the 5-9 years age group (44%) If the disease
is to be eradicated vaccination rates must be
kept at the highest possible level
Dysentery
There were 7 cases compared with 40 cases in
1969
Typhoid fever
There were 5 cases notified. 2 of which
occurred in the same family both just returned
from Pakistan One case was a 55 vear old
symptomless lady whose grandson domiciled
outside the borough had typhoid The other
two cases were a 2 vear old girl who had
recently returned from Pakistan and a 27 year
old lady who had recently returned from India
Food poisoning
Although 48 cases of suspected food
poisoning were notified, after full investigation
only fifteen cases were confirmed The
causative organisms were as follows
salmonella typhimurium (3), salmonella
seftenberg (1), salmonella heidelberg (3),
salmonella enteritidis (2), salmonella
reading (2), salmonella Stanley (4)
In one other case salmonella Stanley was
isolated from a perianal abscess
Of the 32 remaining cases notified (24
sporadic and 8 cases in 3 families) all
laboratory investigations proved negative
Medical arrangements for long-stay immigrants
Long-stay immigrants are asked to give their
destination addresses at ports of arrival and
these are forwarded to the medical officer of
health All the addresses situated in the
borough are visited by public health inspectors
who advise the immigrants on how to use the
national health service If the immigrant is
accompanied by a child the address in visited
by a health visitor
Destination addresses in this borough were
given by 691 immigrants but in 200 cases it
was found that the immigrant had not arrived
at the address given.
Fever hospital
The borough is served by the South Middlesex
Hospital but on occasions accommodation in
other fever hospitals may be used. During the
year 130 patients from the borough were
admitted as suffering from or suspected to be
suffering from infectious disease Close
contact is maintained between the hospitals
and the department of health so that any
necessary action can be taken without delay
In accordance with the Public Health
(Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 195
admissions to the South Middlesex Hospital
of persons residing outside the borough were
referred to the department in addition to
those living in the borough
Disinfection
Where necessarv, disinfection of rooms is
carried out by the department During the year
5 rooms were disinfected and 3 lots of clothing
were similarly treated before being sent abroad
Cleaning of Verminous Persons and their
clothing
No steam disinfecting or cleansing centre is
provided in this borough but arrangements have
continued for the use of the Disinfecting
Station and Medicinal Baths. Scotts Road
Shepherds Bush. W 12 provided by the London
Borough of Hammersmith The borough council
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