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42
Small Pox
No case of small pox was notified during the year 1953. The
last case was in 1932.
Scarlet Fever
The number of cases of scarlet fever notified during the year
was 86 as compared with 225 in 1952, equivalent to a case rate
of 1.29 per 1,000 population. This disease has continued mild
in character; no death due to this cause was recorded. Of the
total number of cases notified 34 were treated in hospital and
52 were treated at home.
Diphtheria
No case of diphtheria was notified for the fourth year in
succession and only two in the past six years, whereas before that
cases averaged sixty per year.
Immunisation and reinforcing doses were available to every
school child whose parents gave consent.
Diphtheria Immunisation
There are three clinics within relatively easy reach of everyone,
as well as immunisation sessions held in the schools.
Efforts have continued during the year to obtain the immunisation
of every child before the first birthday. The health visitors
urge mothers at the welfare centres, and at home visits, to have
their children immunised, making special visits in difficult cases.
Because of the prevalence of poliomyelitis in the region all
school and clinic immunisations were stopped during August,
September and October, 1953. The clinic immunisations started
slowly but were back to normal by the end of December. School
immunisation could not be restarted until January 1954, because
of the holidays, which also meant that certain schools missed the
annual visit for immunisations so that boosting doses in some
cases are overdue.