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infectious disease of Eastern type to be introduced by means of
aircraft into this country. For instance, a person who might
have contracted overseas a disease such as cholera, which has a
short incubation period, could be in this country several days
before displaying any symptoms, whereas previously the symptoms
would have developed during the longer sea journey. This question
of the transmission of infectious disease by aircraft was dealt with
in 1933 by the International Sanitary Convention for Aerial
Infection and in 1938 the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations
were issued with a view to preventing the introduction into this
country by aircraft of smallpox, yellow fever, typhus, plague,
cholera, etc. These Regulations were re-issued in an amended
form in 1948 and again in 1950.
There is now close liaison between the various authorities
to ensure that persons coming from infected areas, particularly
those infected with asiatic smallpox, cholera, typhus and dysentery,
are kept under surveillance until all risk is past. The control
of smallpox in particular, at times places heavy responsibilities
upon the Public Health Department, for investigations have to be
made as to the source of infection, movements of patient, place of
work, and contacts, whilst notifications have to be sent to medical
officers of boroughs in which contacts reside. There is also
increased disinfection, daily visits are necessary to contacts during
the incubation period and vaccination has to be arranged. Thus
it will be seen that when smallpox reaches epidemic proportions
the work of the Department becomes particularly onerous.
Generally the position with regard to infectious disease has
undergone great improvement in this country. This has been
due to several causes, among which are improved sanitation and
water supplies, which have eliminated the former widespread
epidemics of cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery, the artificial
immunity produced by vaccination, which has played a great part
in practically extinguishing smallpox, and immunisation, which
has considerably reduced the number of cases of diphtheria. The
isolation of sufferers, prompt control of contacts and carrying
out of disinfection have also been the means of limiting the spread
of those diseases to which we are still subjected.
There has also been a great advance in medical science resulting
in improved methods of treatment, thus saving many lives which
in former times would have been lost and considerably reducing
the invalidism which in the past was often left behind after the
patient had recovered from the disease itself; this being particularly
the case with measles, which often left the patient with impaired
vision or other crippling weakness, and poliomyelitis, which so
frequently resulted in permanent paralysis.