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8
PREVALENCE OF AND CONTROL OVER INFECTIOUS
AND OTHER DISEASES.
SCARLET FEVER.
The number of cases of scarlet fever notified during the year
was comparatively low, a total of sixty-eight, giving an incident
rate of 1.52 per thousand population. This compares with
a rate of 1.63 for England and Wales.
The great majority of cases were very mild and no fatalities
occurred. Twenty-seven cases were treated at home and fortyone
removed to hospital. There were no 'return' cases.
DIPHTHERIA.
For the second year in succession and the third occasion
since records were available, the district was completely free
from this disease, the last case having been notified in April,
1947.
Immunisation against diphtheria progresses smoothly and
the great majority of parents are now accepting it as a matter
of course. It is now being recommended at the age of seven
months. When done so early it is probably advisable to give
a third dose twelve months later. Under the present scheme
children are given the opportunity of receiving a re-inforcing
dose at intervals of 3—5 years up to school leaving age.
Under the National Health Service Act all medical practitioners
providing general medical services in the area have been
given an opportunity to provide services in the scheme of
diphtheria immunisation. This has resulted in a number of
children being done otherwise than at schools or clinics.
The following statistics refer to immunisation carried out
during the year:—
Number of children completing treatment during
the year (pre-school, 525, school, 99) ... 624
Number of children receiving re-inforcing doses 923
Of the above, 169 were immunised and 23 given re-inforcing
doses by private practitioners.
Special efforts are made to encourage mothers to bring their
babies for immunisation in those cases where persuasion by
the health visitor has failed. A note is made of every child
aged ten months and older who has not been immunised and