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In addition, 100 notifications of suspected dysentery were received
and this necessitated checking and testing 164 people.
E. Coli Infections
This is an enteritic type of infection which can be fatal in very
young children. Fifteen cases were notified during the year, mostly
through hospitals, and I am glad to say that all cases investigated
made an uneventful recovery.
Meningitis
Notification was received of five cases of meningitis, one of which
was fatal. This was a nine-year-old schoolboy who died after a fourday
illness with pneumococcal meningitis. All necessary investigations
were carried out at the boy's school and there were no further cases.
Three cases of suspected meningitis were also notified and investigated
during the year.
Poliomyelitis
No case of poliomyelitis was notified in 1972 but the immunisation
campaign continues constandy.
Smallpox
Any person entering this country from smallpox endemic or infected
areas without a valid certificate of vaccination is notified to the
Department by the Principal Medical Officer of the Airport. There
were 32 such cases arriving in the Borough who were kept under surveillance
for the incubation period by the medical and public health
staff. All remained well.
In October, 1972, the Medical Officer of Health was informed
that a lady who was travelling from Hong Kong to New York and was
staying for a few days with friends in Merton had walked into a
Hospital Casualty Department in another Borough and as she had an
unusual rash, various tests were performed to exclude the possibility
of a very mild atypical smallpox, although clinically there was little to
support this diagnosis.
As preliminary tests proved positive, the patient was removed to
Long Reach Isolation Hospital. Further special testing over the next
few days proved finally that the case was not one of smallpox. Although
the information was received over the weekend, all medical,
nursing and public health inspectorate staff were mobilised instantly.
The family were isolated, all contacts vaccinated, premises disinfected,
all necessary surveillance implemented and plans were drawn up ready
for implementation in the event of any emergency that might arise had
the case been finally confirmed as positive.
Streptococcal Infections
Nothing significant happened apart from a very mild and minor
outbreak of streptococcal infection in a maternity ward in a local
hospital necessitating the testing of midwives and pupils. Alll
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