§ 64. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland in which towns and villages in Scotland poliomyelitis cases have been officially reported during the last 12 months; how many cases of poliomyelitis are now known to exist in each; what are the approximate ages of the sufferers; and what steps he is taking to prevent the spread of this disease.
§ Mr. J. StuartThe following table shows the distribution, by local health authority areas, of the 507 provisional notifications of poliomyelitis during the 12 months to 23rd October last. The table also shows by age groups the 97 notifications received during the last four weeks of that period, a figure which represents approximately the number of cases now in the active stages of the disease.
In the present state of our knowledge, the main precautions available against spread of the disease are the isolation of patients, the observance of strict hygiene rules by contacts, and the avoidance by children of group activities such as cinemas and clubs. The health departments have made available full technical information for medical officers of health, who are providing appropriate guidance to the public in the affected areas, adapted to suit local circumstances. Medical officers of health are also advising the temporary closure of schools where, exceptionally, this step is considered desirable.
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POLIOMYELITIS Counties Total provisional notifications during year ended 23rd October, 1954 Age groups of cases notified during the four weeks to 23rd October, 1954 Under 5 5 and under 15 15 and under 25 25 and over All ages Aberdeen … 16 2 10 — — 12 Angus … 4 — — 1 — 1 Argyll … 5 — — — — — Ayr … 47 5 3 1 1 10 Banff … 14 4 10 — — 14 Berwick … 2 — — — — — Bute … 1 — — — — — Caithness … 1 — — — — — Clackmannan … 2 1 — — — 1 Dumfries … 3 — — — — — Dunbarton … 6 — — — — — East Lothian … 2 — — — — — Fife … 20 — 1 — 1 2 Inverness … 6 — — — — — Kincardine … 9 — 2 — — 2 Kirkcudbright … 2 — — — — — Lanark … 32 1 — — — 1 Midlothian … 11 — — — — — Moray and Nairn … 1 — — — 1 1 Orkney … 1 — — — — — Peebles … — — — — — — Perth and Kinross … 8 — 1 — 1 2 Renfrew … 13 1 1 — — 2 Ross and Cromarty … 1 — — — — — Roxburgh … 7 — 4 — — 4 Selkirk … — — — — — — Stirling … 5 1 — — — 1 Sutherland … — — — — — — West Lothian … 9 2 1 — — 3 Wigtown … 1 — — — — — Zetland … 1 — — 1 — 1 LARGE BURGHS Aberdeen … 31 1 3 1 — 5 Airdrie … 1 — — — — — Arbroath … 2 — — — — — Ayr … 11 1 1 — — 2 Clydebank … 3 — — — — — Coatbridge … 2 — — — — — Dumbarton … 3 — — — — — Dumfries … — — — — — — Dundee … 15 — — — 1 1 Dunfermline … 2 — — — — — Edinburgh … 70 5 2 — 1 8 Falkirk … 4 — — — — — Glasgow … 99 8 2 2 2 14 Greenock … 6 — — — — — Hamilton … 1 — — — — — Inverness … 10 5 1 1 — 7 Kilmarnock … 2 — — — — — Kirkcaldy … — — — — — — Motherwell and Wishaw … 3 — 1 — — 1 Paisley … 6 2 — — — 2 Perth … 2 — — — — — Port Glasgow … 3 — — — — — Rutherglen … — — — — — — Stirling … 1 — — — — — SCOTLAND … 507 39 43 7 8 97