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Whooping Cough is probably one of the most inadequately
isolated of all the infectious diseases. In the first place there
is no rash to emphasize the presence of infectious disease, and
secondly the disease in its early stages is quite difficult to
diagnose clinically. Generally it is at a relatively late stage,
after prolonged mixing with the general population, that it is
eventually established. Even then it is doubtful if the public
attitude to it is anything like as respectful as it is to the older
fevers which were compulsorily isolated. Whatever are our views
about the effectiveness of isolation as a means of controlling
epidemics there can be no doubt that an infant is less likely to
contract the disease if it is not exposed to the infection, and this
is particularly important in the case of young children of 1 year
and under in whom two-thirds of the total deaths from this
disease occur, and half of these deaths take place in infants
under six months.
Q. Fever. During the year observation and follow up was
undertaken on behalf of the Ministry of Health on three contacts
of a case of Q. Fever which had occurred in a Laboratory of a
London Hospital.
Q. Fever is a Rickettial disease originally discovered in
Queensland and now known to occur in various other parts
of the world, but had not hitherto been suspected of existing in
England.
Food Poisoning. There were 8 notifications of Food
Poisoning. The cases occurred in three groups. The groups
were confined to small family outbreaks.
1. There were 3 cases in this group and extensive investigations
failed to discover the source of the infection. Enquiries
of nearby neighbours elicited the fact that one of the families
had suffered a similar attack less than a week previously and
at another that an assistant at one of the shops of supply in
this case had similar trouble some time before. Enquiries at the
shop failed to confirm this observation. Swabs were obtained
from two of the cases but no pathological organism was isolated.
2. These were 3 cases in a family of four. The only
member of the family to escape was the youngest child, aged 7.
No item of food could be found which the family had consumed
and the child had not consumed. It was said that he
had had very little cold beef, which was one of the meals
under suspicion. No pathological organisms could be found
from rectal swabs.
3. This was one infection in a family outbreak. A particular
child was notified, being the one who was worst affected.
This outbreak followed a visit to what is regarded as one of
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