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Poliomyelitis
The benefits of mass vaccination against poliomyelitis are now being reflected in the reduced
incidence of this disease. In 1960 there was only one notified case in the Borough. This related
to a boy aged 3 years, not a Tottenham resident, whose condition was diagnosed after admission
to St. Ann's General Hospital.
Acute Encephalitis
There were five cases of acute infective encephalitis notified in 1960. In four instances
adults were affected, females aged 25 years, 30 years and 44 years and a male aged 34 years.
The other case was a boy of 9 years.
There was one case of post-infectious encephalitis following chickenpox in a boy aged 6
years.
Smallpox
No cases of smallpox occurred in the Borough in 1960. On one occasion it was necessary
for the consultant to be called to see a suspected case but the final diagnosis was chickenpox.
Scarlet Fever
The incidence of scarlet fever remaind. about the average expected in recent years. There
were 100 notified cases and the disease continued to be of the mild type with few complications
and no deaths.
Measles
The incidence of this disease continues to have its biennial cycle, 1960 being a year of low
incidence. There were 246 notifications compared with 949 in the previous year. No deaths
arose from this cause.
Whooping Cough
This is a most distressing disease especially when it affects very young children, and parents
are strongly advised to take advantage of the immunisation facilities which are now available. In
1960 there were 163 notified cases of whom 94 were under 5 years of age. 1958 and 1959 with
respectively only 29 and 12 notified cases had given some hope that we were reaching the point
where the disease might be eradicated but there was a comparatively heavy incidence in the
springand summer of 1960 which resulted in the highest annual figure for four years. No deaths
from whooping cough were recorded.