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INCIDENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Four hundred and twenty five cases of infectious diseases
were notified during 1954. a decrease of eight hundred and
twenty seven cases. There was a lower incidence of Measles,
Whooping Cough, Scarlet Fever, Pneumonia, Dysentery and
Poliomyelitis. Three cases of Cerebro Spinal Fever occurred.
Scarlet Fever, Eighty two cases were notified, a decrease
of forty eight cases. The case rate was 1.04 per thousand of
population, compared with 0.96 per thousand of population for
England and Wales. The disease was generally mild. There was
no death.
Diphtheria No case was notified in 1954, One adult
carrier was detected and treated. Diphtheria is still dangerous.
Diphtheria Antitoxin. The early diagnosis and early
antitoxin treatment of Diphtheria are essential to prevent
mortality. On suspicion of infection the patient must be given
antitoxin at once or admitted to hospital forthwith for observation
and treatment. The toxin quickly becomes fixed in muscle and
nerve tissue with serious results. The urgent need for antitoxin
treatment of Diphtheria must always be remembered.
Diphtheria immunisation Immunisation has provided a high
degree of safety from Diphtheria, but there is still a residual
incidence and mortality as is shown in the following statistics
for England and Wales.
Year Cases Deaths
1944 23,199 934
1954 182 9
A very large number of lives have been saved by immunisation.
It should be possible to eliminate incidence and mortality by a
cooperative effort. Every parent has a duty to secure the
primary immunisation of the baby before the first birthday and
to ensure that immunisation is sustained by reinforcing injections
before the child enters nursery school or day school. Further
reinforcement is necessary at the age of eight to nine years.
Immunisation is available to every child, free of charge, either
through the family doctor or at the nearest Child Welfare Clinic
During 1954 nine hundred and fifty children were immunised
and their ages at the date of immunisation were as follows.
Age: Under 1 1 2 3 4 5-9 10-14 Over 15 Total
Number: 355 382 35 27 20 122 7 2 950
A survey at the end of 1954 of the state of immunisation
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