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14
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
SMALLPOX.
No case of smallpox occurred during the year.
There were, however, three ship contacts who came
to live in the district. Routine visits were paid to each
of these.
It was not found necessary to perforin any vaccinations
under the Public Health (Smallpox Prevention)
Regulations of 1917.
SCARLET FEVER.
The incidence of scarlet fever was again comparatively
low, thirtynine cases being notified, an incidence
rate of 1.04 per 1,000 population. One death occurred
in a child who developed surgical scarlet fever after an
operation for tonsillectomy. Thirtyone cases were
treated in hospital and eight cases at home. In addition
six suspected cases were admitted to hospital where it
was later decided that the illness was not scarlet fever.
Groups of four and six cases respectively occurred
as outbreaks at two private schools. Apart from these
outbreaks the majority were single cases in a family,
with the exception of three instances in which two members
of the family were involved. Two of the latter
were examples of " return case " infection, i.e. a second
case occurring in a house within twentyeight days of
the return of a scarlet fever patient from hospital.
DIPHTHERIA.
The diphtheria incidence was 0.59 per 1,000 population.
This figure has remained approximately the same
for the past three years. Twentytwo cases were notified,
all of which were treated in Tolworth Hospital.