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INCIDENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Eight hundred and seventy eight cases of infectious diseases
were notified during the year 1950. This is an increase of
fifty nine cases which is due to an epidemic of mild dysentery
within an institution, and an Increase in the number of cases of
Scarlet Fever There was a lower incidence of Measles, Twelve
cases of Poliomyelitis were notified, an increase of six cases.
Again there was no case of Diphtheria No case of food poisoning
was notified.
Scarlet Fever. Two hundred and fifteen cases were notified,
an increase of forty eight cases The higher prevalence arose
from a series of outbreaks in schools and the persistence of
infection in crowded classrooms The case rate was 2 64 per
1000 of population compared with 1.50 per 1000 of population for
England and Wales The disease was generally mild. There was
no death.
Diphtheria. No case was notified during 1950 This Is the
fourth year during which no child within the age group subject
to Immunisation has suffered from Diphtheria The case rate for
England and Wales was 0.02 per 1000 of population It Is
appropriate at a time when there is a tendency for immunisation
to decline to remind people of the saving in lives and disability
which has resulted from immunisation Ten years ago, in 1940.
there were thirty two cases and three deaths in this Borough.
Diphtheria Antitoxin. The absence of cases of Diphtheria is
likely to lead to a loss of familiarity with diagnosis among the
younger generation of medical practitioners, and to a loss or
the urgency of seeking medical advice and treatment for throat
conditions among the younger generation of mothers There Is
also a danger in the decline in the taking of swabs from throats
for bacteriological diagnosis before treatment is prescribed or
applied Swabs from throats in any degree suspicious of
Diphtheria must be taken before Penicillin is used Otherwise
diagnosis is obscured. Penicillin destroys the Diphtheria
bacillus, but does not neutralise the toxins
Early diagnosis and early treatment with antitoxin are
essential for the prevention of mortality Antitoxin should
be administered in large doses on suspicion of infection and
while awaiting bacteriological confirmation of diagnosis.
Otherwise suspicious cases should be sent to hospital for
observation and treatment.
Diphtheria Immunisation. During the year there was a
decrease in the number of children immunised against Diphtheria
This may have been due partly to complacency in the absence of
Diphtheria, but there was also a reaction to a published report
of a possible association between the localisation of paralysis
in Poliomyelitis and the site of Intramuscular injection.
Realisation of the consequences of a recurrence of epidemic
diphtheria make it essential to continue and to sustain immunisation
with proper safeguards. This can be done by adjusting
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