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of tuberculosis was 155 as against 186 in 1944. The tuberculosis
death rate per 100,000 population was 54.7 as compared with 63.2 in
1940-44, 60.4 in 1935-39 and 78.9 in 1930-34. There were more cases
of cerebrospinal fever and poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) than in
1944 but no increase in deaths from such causes. Diphtheria also was
more prevalent: 24 cases and 2 deaths as compared with 11 cases and 1
death in 1944. One of the children who died had been immunised in
1941. This is the first death from diphtheria of a child immunised in
this area: the infection was severe but there was some delay before
the diagnosis was made and the child admitted to hospital. At the end
of the year the proportions immunised of the population under 5 years
and between 5 and 15 years of age were 44 per cent. and 74 per cent.
respectively as compared with 37.3 per cent. and 65.1 per cent. in 1944.
Since 1930 about 20.000 persons have been immunised ami manv of tbsm

Diphtheria can be kept under control only by protecting a high proportion
of the child population and ALL children should be immunised at
or about the age of 1 year.
The fall in the number of cases of scabies in 1944 was not
continued into 1945 and continuing effort to eradicate this disease is
necessary. When a case occurs in a household all the members should
be treated as the infection may be present in the contacts. In the
absence of symptoms it is difficult to convince such contacts,
especially adolescents and adult males, that they should submit to
treatment. The same difficulty occurs in dealing with lousiness
where school children are re-infested by adult members of the family.
During the year 630 persons were given treatment for scabies and 6
adults were de-loused.
The four day nurseries, with accommodation for 189 children,
remained open throughout the year. There was always a list of
children awaiting admission but owing to shortage of staff the nurseries
could not be used to full capacity. There was less illness among the
children and, but for staff shortage, the average daily attendance
would have been higher than 129. The demand for this service was
maintained during the year,
The attendances of mothers and children under school age at
the various clinics were maintained. Throughout the war years there
has been a steady decrease in the applications for the supply, free or
at reduced cost, of proprietary dried milk and vitamin preparations
though the bulk issue has been maintained generally. This reduction
is no doubt due to two factors: the rise in wages and the provision
through the Ministry of Pood of milk, dried milk and vitamin supplements,
free or at reduced cost, in necessitous cases. Of the orange
juice issued 10,693 bottles were supplied to children between the ages
of 5 and 10 years.

3.