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faithfully carried cut. Literature on the care necessary in the treatment
of measles was distributed. On the application of the Council measles
continues to be notifiable in Wanstead; the mere fact that it remains
a notifiable disease causes parents and guardians to exercise more care
in its treatment. There were no deaths from Measles. Scarlet Fever
and Diphtheria each numbered 23 cases, and these were of a sporadic
nature, four being the greatest number that occurred in any one month.
All the medical practitioners in the district know the arrangements
made for obtaining bacteriological help and antitoxin, and how willing
the Council is to provide supplies of swabs and serum for dealing with
Diphtheria, and I have little doubt that the freedom with which these
methods are utilised had much to do with the prevention of the disease
as an epidemic.
Chicken-pox is notifiable in Wanstead, and 57 cases were
reported. This disease is retained on the notifiable list because of its
possible confusion with mild small-pox.
Puerperal Fever —Three instances of this disease were notified
amongst the 227 maternity cases which occurred in the year. One of
these died.
Erysipelas. — Of this disease there were two cases : both the
patients recovered.
Malaria was notified six times. All the persons who suffered
had contracted the disease abroad and no indigenous cases occurred.
Mr. Howard, the Sanitary Inspector, who served in the Eastern sphere
of the War and was employed to a great extent on malarial work
there, has made exhaustive search for specimens of the Anopheles,
the species of mosquito which carries the disease, but has failed to find a
single specimen in the district. All the patients underwent the prescribed
quinine treatment. To prevent extension of the disease to others
they were offered a supply of mosquito netting, but did not in any case
accept it. The residents who have ponds in their gardens were given
cards on the prevention of mosquito breeding in such places.
Influenza Pneumonia was notified 17 times, 15 being in the month
of March. I gave a full report on the subject of Influenza last year
and steps similar to those described therein were taken in the third
wave of the epidemic which occurred in the Spring of 1919. In 1918
there were 22 deaths certified as due to Influenza, and the number was 20
in 1919, giving a death rate of l.3. The ages of the victims varied from
one month to 90 years. The National Schools were closed owing to
Influenza from March 6th—17th, 1919.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum was notified once—a mild case which
recovered with perfect vision.
Various contacts from ships where cases of Plague and of
Small-pox had occurred came into the district and were kept under
supervision. In no instance did either disease arise.
Vaccination was performed in fourteen cases by private doctors
with lymph supplied by me from the Government Lymph Establishment.