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A permanent mass X-ray unit has been established at West Middlesex Hospital
and is open to the public without appointment. During the year 236 children were
inoculated with B.C.G. vaccine as a protection against tuberculosis.
OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM No case was notified but from a hospital report it
was learned that a baby admitted because of prematurity developed an eye infection
which did not respond to treatment and was only cleared up finally by the removal
of the right eye.
PUERPERAL PYREXIA, During the year 118 cases were notified as compared with
70 cases in 1958. No woman died from puerperal or post-abortion sepsis and none of
the infections was severe.
MEASLES This was a year of measles prevalence and 1,007 cases were notified
as compared with 275 in 1958.
WHOOPING COUGH. There were 46 cases of whooping cough notified as compared
with 44 cases in 1958. Facilities for immunisation against this disease are
available, and 813 were inoculated. The condition is most fatal in young babies,
and protection should be provided before the child is six months old. There is
evidence that, with the improvement in the vaccine, the protection, if not complete,
does mitigate the severity of the attack.
MALARIA. No case of malaria was notified during the year.
INFLUENZA. Influenza was prevalent in the early part of the year and caused
37 deaths as compared with 7 deaths in 1958. Of these deaths, 80 per cent occurred
in persons aged 65 years and over.
MUMPS, CHICKEN POX, GERMAN MEASLES. These diseases are not notifiable, but
cases are brought to the notice of the Department through schools, health visitors,
etc. During the year, the following cases were recorded: Mumps 140, Chicken pox
132 and German Measles, 15.
FEVER HOSPITALS. The Borough is served by the South Middlesex Infectious
Diseases Hospital, but on occasion, accommodation in other fever hospitals of the
North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board is used. During the year, 222
patients from the Borough were admitted to these hospitals. Close contact is maintained
between the hospitals and the Health Department, so that any necessary action
can be taken.
DISINFECTION. The disinfection of bedding, etc, is done at the South Middlesex
Infectious Diseases Hospital, while the disinfection of homes is carried out by
the disinfectors on the Health Department staff. During the year six lots of bedding
were disinfected and 2 lots destroyed. Nine lots of clothing were disinfected
before being sent abroad.
LABORATORY. Certain routine bacteriological work is done in the laboratory
at the Health Department. When more detailed investigation is required, specimens
are sent to the National Public Health Laboratory Service. The number of specimens
examined during 1959 was 588.
FOOD POISONING. During 1959 notifications of the occurrence of food poisoning
in 50 persons were received, but after investigation only 23 were accepted as
food poisoning. In 9 cases the infecting organism was isolated, In a further 22
persons, Salmonella organisms were found though there was no evidence of food-borne
infection. No death was associated with food poisoning.
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