The chart shows the number of deaths reported for 108 major cities of the United States by week for the current year, and, for comparison, the median of the number of deaths reported for the corresponding weeks of the 3 previous calendar years. (The median is the central one of the three values arranged in order of magnitude.) If a report is not received from a city in time to be included in the total for the current week, an estimate is made to maintain comparability for graphic presentation. The figures reported represent the number of death certificates received in the vital statistics offices during the week indicated for deaths occurring in that city. Figures compiled in this way, by week of receipt, usually approximate closely the number of deaths occurring during the week. However, differences are to be expected because of variations in the interval between death and receipt of the certificate. While week-to-week changes in the total number of deaths reported for all major cities generally represent a change in mortality conditions, this may not be true for variations in weekly figures for each city. For example, in a city with a weekly average of 50 deaths, the number of deaths occurring in a week may be expected to vary by chance alone from 36 to 64 (d± 2Vd, where d represents the average number of deaths per week). The number of deaths in cities of the same size may also differ because of variations in the age, race, and sex composition of their populations, and because some cities are hospital centers serving the surrounding areas. Changes from year to year in the number of deaths may be due in part to population increases or decreases. August 17, 1956 Washington 25, D. C. Vol. 5, No. 32 Provisional Information on Selected Notifiable Diseases in the United States and on Deaths in Selected Cities for Week Ended August 11, 1956 The number of cases of poliomyelitis reported for the current week is 883 as compared with 1,785 for the same period last year. The median figure for the 5-year period 1951-55 is 1,904. The increase from 759 for the week ended August 4 was general and no State or geographic division showed a marked increase over the previous week. A total of 166 cases, of which number 103 were paralytic, was reported in Chicago for the week ended August 11. Seven deaths were reported. The total number of cases reported since January 1 in Chicago is now 638. The proportion of paralytic cases for the country as a whole is gradually decreasing, but remains relatively high in certain States. The proportion of paralytic cases for 4 States (Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, and California) for the 4 weeks ended August 4 was about 59 percent, whereas that for the remainder of the country was only 33 percent. These States, except Texas, are reporting a higher total this year as compared with the same period of 1955, and in each of them a relatively high proportion of the total cases has been under 5 years of age. The numbers of reported cases of poliomyelitis by type for the United States for the current week, disease year, and calendar year are: cation in the left hilus was observed. Tuberculin patch tests on patient and members of his family were negative. A diagnosis of blastomycosis was made following an exploration of the thorax and a biopsy of lung tissue from which the fungi were identified. Vesicular stomatitis infection in man Dr. J. E. McCroan, Georgia Department of Public Health, has reported that in a vesicular stomatitis study blood specimens have been obtained from 18 persons living in several counties of Georgia. Two of 5 specimens examined have shown antibodies against vesicular stomatitis by egg protection tests. The tests were performed by Dr. R. P. Hanson, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, who stated that these findings are the first laboratory confirmed evidence of human infection which has not been the result of exposure in a laboratory. Coccidioidomycosis Dr. J. D. Martin has reported a case of coccidioidomycosis in a 35-year-old woman from Louisiana. The patient went to Arizona in 1955 and developed what she called influenza about a week after her arrival. Manifestations were malaise, fatigue, and generalized nondescript aches and pains. Several weeks later an X-ray showed bilateral pneumonitis. An internist in Arizona diagnosed her illness as coccidioidomycosis. On May 28, 1956, the patient was admitted to a hospital in New Orleans, and Coccidioides immitis was isolated from a sputum specimen 2 days later. Actinomycosis Dr. J. D. Martin has reported a case of actinomycosis in a 29-year-old man who was admitted to a hospital in New Orleans. A history was obtained of a lump on the left side of his back and pain in it for several months. The patient had been expectorating large amounts of clotted blood for about 1 month and had developed a cough during that time. The lump which was a large fluctuant mass below the left scapula was aspirated and Actinomyces bovis was identified from the exudate. An X-ray of the chest indicated pulmonary and paravertebral involvement. Rabies in a bat Dr. F. R. Hassler, Oklahoma State Department of Health, has reported the finding of a rabid bat in the western part of the State. For the past year in cooperation with the Oklahoma A. and M. College, approximately 1,000 bats have been caught and their brains were examined by mouse inoculation techniques. This is the first time a rabid bat has been found in Oklahoma. The bat was a Mexican Free-tail (Tadarida Mexicana) which had been captured in a cave in Woodward County. This bat was sick at the time of capture. Rabies was demonstrated by mouse inoculation. Bovine anthrax Dr. P. H. Cochran, Public Health Veterinarian, Kentucky State Department of Health, has given preliminary information on 5 cases of anthrax among cattle on a farm near Hickman. Although anthrax has been reported in the county (Fulton) before (in 1951), this is the first time the disease has been re ported on this particular farm. Laboratory examination confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax. Malaria Dr. J. D. Martin has reported 2 cases of malaria. Both cases had malarial parasites which were seen on blood smears. The organism was not definitely identified as to species when blood smears were examined under the microscope. Both were presumably Plasmodium vivax since a 48-hour fever cycle was noted. The patients had been in service in Korea. They had returned less than 10 months ago and failed to take a course of primaquine therapy. Salmonellosis Dr. Dean H. Fisher, Maine Department of Health and Welfare, has reported an outbreak of salmonellosis, probably from ingestion of infected deer meat. The meat was eaten by 4 persons on a very remote farm. All became ill, the first case being reported the following day. Later 4 additional cases developed from association with these primary cases. The deer meat episode was not discovered immediately. Cultures found in a small amount of meat, mostly suet, were negative. Gastro-enteritis Mr. Vaughn Anderson, Idaho Department of Public Health, has reported an outbreak of gastro-enteritis among persons eating cream-filled pie. Only 3 cases were reported, all from a local cafe. The cafe obtained the pie from a bakery in another city. The pie was well refrigerated but had been shipped in a nonrefrigerated truck and was in transit for about 3 hours. None of the pie was available for bacteriological examination. Dr. Roy F. Feemster, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, has reported an outbreak of gastro-enteritis among 96 boys in a camp. Of these, 21 became ill about 7 hours after eating an evening meal. A report was received that some questionable methods were employed in the preparation of the food, chiefly involving lack of refrigeration. Samples of string beans, meat, mashed potatoes, and ham sandwiches yielded Staphyloccus aureus on bacteriological examination. Table 1. CASES OF SPECIFIED NOTIFIABLE DISEASES: CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES (Numbers after diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948) |