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15
of the lavatories. It is important, however, to have adequate
handwashing facilities easily available.
Food
Poisoning
In the 12 cases of food poisoning notified, salmonella was
notified in only 7 cases (5 Salm. typhimurium, 1 Salm.
brandenburg, 1 Salm. panama). Not su prisingly, no vector of
infection was discovered. In isolated cases such as these it is
likely, when the organism is the same, that the single case
represents the outward manifestation of very many more, some
of them without symptoms. The other cases, overt and concealed,
may be spread over a whole region. In many cases,
central authorities arc able to uncover infected sources of
food, often imported animal food which contaminates carcases.
Paratyphoid
The single case of paratyphoid B was in a young girl and
was probably contracted in Rimini. A number of cases of
diarrhoea developed in the same hotel and it was necessary to
obtain the names of other members of the tour from the tonr
organiser and inform the Medical Officers of Health of the
areas in which they lived.
Tuberculosis
68 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 6 of non-pulmonary
tuberculosis were notified during the year. Last year's figures
were 69 and 13 respectively. Appendix 2 shows the age distribution,
sources of notification and composition of the
tuberculosis register.
I am grateful to Dr. D. Adler, Consultant Chest Physician
at the Ilford Chest Clinic, for the following contribution:—
"The situation as regards tuberculosis remains static,
and although over the years there has been a reduction in new
notifications there is still no cause for complacency. Approxi28%
of the new notifications are immigrants.
Thanks to the introduction of chemotherapy over the past
15 years or so the prognosis is almost invariably excellent,
and practically every patient with tuberculosis now fully
recovers and is able to return to work within a few months.
Relapses are now very infrequent. With modern treatment certain
types of the disease can be treated at home, whilst others
have to be admitted to hospital. As far as this clinic is concerned,
beds are available at Dagenham Hospital for male
tuberculosis patients, and at Chadwell Heath Hospital for
female tuberculosis patients.
Tuberculosis among children remains very low and this is
due largely to the effective treatment of adults, thus removing