[Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C.

  • Godstone (Surrey, England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Godstone R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    39/56 (page 37)
    widely prevalent in the south of England during the late Autumn and Winter months. The practitioners in the District were twice informed by circular letter of its presence. The cases notified represented only a fraction of the cases that occurred in the District. Sonne dysentery, as far as it could be investigated from the few notifications received, appears to have no relation to food, water or social conditions. Clinically it is usually mild in character with some fever lasting only a few days. The passage of blood and mucus is not invariable. Two early cases kept under careful observation at the Council’s Hospital shewed neither. One case of sudden diarrhoea and vomiting after the consumption of cheese was observed. The only organism isolated was the staphylococcus aureus. Outbreaks of food poisoning due to the staphylococcus aureus are rare, but may be severe in the individual. Pneumonia. Arrangements were made at the end of the year with Dr. L, P. Chamberlain, Pathologist to the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, that all cases of influenzal or septic pneumonia admitted to the Council’s Hospital be examined bacteriologically with a view to determining the particular type of pneumococcus causing the disease. There are some 32 different types of pneumococcus known. Approximately 50 per cent, of the cases in this country are either type 1 or type 2. Appropriate sera for the treatment of these types are available. American observations shew that the serum treat- ment with the appropriate serum, if given sufficiently early, within the first 24 hours or so of the onset of the disease, is of value. Non-notifiable Infectious Disease. No notable outbreaks occurred during the year. Measles. In young children below the age of 5, particularly in debilitated or weakly children, measles is a severe disease with a high mortality and serious complications. Convalescent measles serum if given before the fifth day after exposure to infection prevents the disease. Only in such cases as children going up for a scholarship examination or sickly infants is prevention advisable. If the serum is given between the fifth and seventh day, the disease occurs in an attenuated form, giving rise only to trifling symptoms, but giving permanent immunity. At present the supplies of con- valescent serum are difficult to obtain. Dr. L. P. Chamberlain, Pathologist to the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, is, however, attempting to collect a small supply. Adult serum is not so effective and has to be given in approximately double the dose of convalescent serum. Public spirited persons such as boy scouts might be prepared to supply the few millilitres of blood necessary to prepare this serum. Co-operation in the accumulation of stocks of the serum, adult or preferably convalescent, is well worth the consideration of the Local Authority,