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resistance and reduce the possibilities of spread of infection. Health visitors and public health inspectors have
played an invaluable role in health education and in improving hygiene.
A summary of notified and confirmed cases for 1965 and 1966 is shown in Table 5.
Diphtheria
For the twelfth consecutive year there were no cases of diphtheria.
Dysentery
There were 83 confirmed cases compared with 86 in 1965. Outbreaks of sonné dysentery occurred
in three Day Nurseries. At Longstone Avenue, of 49 children and 17 staff, 12 children were positive; at
Wesley Road 12 of the 44 children, and 17 family contacts were positive; and at Kilburn Square, of 45
children and 16 staff, 5 children and one member of the staff were found to be positive. The Nurseries
were closed to new entrants for over a month until the outbreaks were cleared up.
Food Poisoning
The number of cases confirmed was 21 compared with 39 in 1965. There were two outbreaks of
illness suspected to be food poisoning, one in a school and the other in a factory, affecting altogether 59
people. The cause was not confirmed bacteriologically in either outbreak.
Measles
1,985 cases were notified compared with 3,166 in 1965. During the first half of the year just under
600 were notified, but the number of notifications rose sharply towards the latter part of the year indicative
of a possible epidemic.
Poliomyelitis
One case of paralytic poliomyelitis was confirmed. The patient was a male student on holiday
from France who was admitted to Hospital but was taken back to France by his father, against medical advice.
Puerperal Pyrexia
The number of cases notified (114) was an increase compared with 1965 (87).
Smallpox
There were no notified cases of smallpox. 36 contacts were kept under surveillance for 21 days
from the last day of contact.
In accordance with the International Sanitary Regulations the signatures of doctors on 24,400 certificates
were authenticated. This number was a great increase on last year's figures due to outbreaks abroad
and the countries concerned insisting that all visitors should be vaccinated prior to entry.
Typhoid and Paratyphoid
A child of 2 years was confirmed as suffering from Typhoid fever (Phage Type E.l). The mother
and father were found to be carriers and admitted to Hospital for treatment. Several direct contacts were kept
under observation. The other confirmed case was a boy of 11 years who flew from India and was taken to
hospital immediately on arrival.
The confirmed case of Paratyphoid fever was a woman, and it was believed the disease was contracted
while on holiday abroad.
Whooping Cough
The incidence of whooping cough was almost the same as the previous year. The case rate was 26
per 1,000 population.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum
There was no impairment of vision in the three cases of ophthalmia neonatorum.
HEALTH EDUCATION
One of the greatest enemies of the health educator is the feeling that it cannot or will not happen
to me. Home safety, particularly, thrives on this old adage. Posters proclaim "Take Care", "Clean and
Service Oil Heaters", "Renew Old Wiring", "Guard Fires" but the accident toll gets higher.
Talks on accident prevention to young children are given whenever possible, and judging by the
intelligent questions and answers received are proving most effective. This subject is also included in
Mothercraft sessions and to other groups and organisations.
Forty talks were given to outside organisations in 1966 on various health and welfare subjects.
414 Mothercraft talks, some with films and demonstrations, were given in Clinics. 157 talks, supported
by visual aids, were given to school children the average attendance varying between 30 and 290 children.