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Dysentery
The following major outbreak of sonne dysentery occurred during
the year. In March, immediately following an educational Mediterranean
cruise by 600 children from 20 Merton schools, a number of
children were found to be absent from school. Enquiries showed that
several had diarrhoea and immediate laboratory tests showed them to
be infected with sonne dysentery. Subsequent investigations at all 20
schools revealed a total of 60 absentees among children who had been
on the cruise, with a further 140 children who had been ill and recovered.
In all, 78 children were found to be infected.
Control measures were put into effect immediately. The schools
concerned were visited and inspected, advice was given on hygiene
and additional cleaning and disinfection of toilets was arranged. Canteen
staff were alerted and advised and Head Teachers were asked to
inform the Health Department of any new cases. A letter was sent
to the parents of all children who had been on the cruise in order to
inform them of the outbreak.
There was close liaison with the Chief Medical Officer of the
Shipping Company and food handlers in the ship were tested and
found to be negative. The ship's next four cruises were uneventful.
The overall picture of the children's health on the cruise was somewhat
confused by sea-sickness during the last few days, but the most probable
source of infection was thought to have been ice-cream eaten at
the end of the cruise, at a small cafe in Itea where there was only one
toilet and no washing facilities.
In all, about 325 families were tested and more than 900 specimens
were sent to the Public Health Laboratory at St. George's
Hospital, whose staff coped wonderfully well with what must have
been a great burden. The last case was not cleared until two months
had elapsed. When the outbreak was over, additional recommendations
were made to the Education Committee which should minimise the
possibility of a recurrence.
In the last week in May several children at a primary school were
reported suffering from diarrhoea, but on investigation were found to
be negative. The school was, however, kept under observation and
tests were made on fresh cases which occurred, with the result that
between 18th June and 7th July, nine positive cases of sonne dysentery
came to light. The nine cases were in five families and, of these, two
were in adjacent houses. Two teachers and a meals supervisor had
symptoms but were negative.
The school was visited by a Senior Medical Officer, who found
the standard of hygiene satisfactory. All cases were cleared by the
end of June except for one family, which continued positive until July.
Meningitis
Early in January, the death occurred from meningitis of a 15-yearold
schoolboy. The illness lasted only five days and the patient died
at home before medical advice had been sought.
Parents of all pupils at the boy's school were informed of the
death and were advised to consult their family doctor if it appeared
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