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The home visiting of patients suffering from measles is conducted
by the women sanitary inspectors, who also arrange for
the attendance of the district nurses where necessary.
In recent years serum from human convalescents who have
suffered from an attack of measles has been used with great
success in the prevention of this disease.
Most of the supplies of this serum, which are extremely
small, are obtained from adult volunteers tested for freedom
from diseases conveyable to the recipients through the serum.
During the year under review the Metropolitan Branch of
the Society of Medical Officers of Health considered and
approved of a scheme for making measles serum available to
Local Authorities in London, but until adequate supplies
become available it will be necessary to restrict its use to very
young children, particularly those who are delicate.
Whooping Cough.
Whooping cough is not a notifiable disease in this Borough,
and consequently the Department is dependent on information of
cases obtained through the agency of the head teachers of elementary
schools in Camberwell.
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During the year 730 cases were reported in this way. Every
patient was visited by the women sanitary inspectors, and in
those cases where professional nursing assistance was required the
Council provided the services of a district nurse. The health
visitors also continued the practice which has been in operation
for many years of leaving a card, containing valuable information
about this disease, at every home visited by them after notification
of birth. The deaths from this cause during 1929 numbered
66, which are shown, distributed in age groups, in the subjoined
table:—
Whooping Cough—Age Distribution Table.
Under 1 year.
1-2 years.
2-5 years.
5-15 years.
Males
10
12
13
1
Females
9
15
6
Influenza.
Influenza was extremely prevalent during the first three
.months of 1929. The type of the illness was mild, but the
extreme cold weather in February and March last year was very
unfavourable for those in the decline of life who were attacked
by the disease.
There were 145 notifications of influenzal pneumonia received
during 1929, and of these 114 were reported in the first three
months of the year. The number of deaths ascribed to influenza
during 1929 was 102. Of these deaths 92 persons died from
influenza pneumonia.