Table 3. CASES OF SPECIFIED DBEASES: SELECTED CITIES FOR WEEK ENDED APRIL 11, 1953 EAST NORTH CENTRAL WEST NORTH CENTRAL -- Anthraz, 2 cases. Table 3. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES: SELECTED CITIES FOR WEEK ENDED APRIL 11, 1953 --Continued The chart shows the number of deaths reported for 106 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 three 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 where 50 deaths are the weekly average, the number of deaths occurring in a week may be expected to vary by chance alone from 36 to 64 (d + 2/7, 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. 1841 April 24. 1953 Washington 25, D.C. Vol. 2, No. 15 Provisional Information on Selected Notifiable Diseases in the United States for Week Ended April 18, 1953 The number (836) of reported cases of infectious hepatitis for in Oregon for the week ended April 11. This brings the total cases the current week is larger than any weekly total since January 1, in the past 3 weeks to 4, the largest number reported since 1947 1952, when the disease was added to the list of notifiable diseases. when 13 occurred. All these cases were traced to a single source For the corresponding week of 1952 the number was 238. During of uncooked Polish sausage. the first 15 weeks of 1953, a total of 9,637 cases was reported as compared with 6,688 for the corresponding week of last year. Shigellosis For the current week States reporting more than 50 cases were: Dr. W. H. Y. Smith, Alabama Department of Health, reports an Iowa, 90; Kentucky, 64; Colorado, 62; New York, 51; and Con- outbreak of shigellosis in a high school. The principal of the necticut, 51. school reported that approximately 269 students were absent with acute gastro-enteritis. Information was collected on 961 persons, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS 465 of whom had varying degrees of nausea, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, fever, and in some cases, vomiting, delirium, and Smallpos prostration. Stool and blood samples were collected for laboratory Dr. James O. Wails, Oklahoma Department of Health, has study. Arrangements were made for the collection of convalescent supplied information on the case of smallpox reported last week. blood samples, Shigella sonnei was isolated from the stools of a This case occurred in a 78-year-old man who was extremely deaf selected group of 23 patients. Samples of food could not be and it was almost impossible to get a good history. He lives alone obtained for examination and it was not possible to determine the in a small mining town in the northeastern part of the State. He vehicle of infection. No carrier of the organism was found. had not been out of this town during the 2 months preceding his illness, nor had he received any visitors from out of town. The Gastro-enteritis patient had two vaccination scars and reports that an attempt at Dr. Morris Greenberg, New York City Department of Health, vaccination was made about 25 years ago but it failed to take. reports 2 outbreaks of gastro-enteritis. The first outbreak Eruptions came on apparently quite suddenly and were extremely occurred among 15 persons who attended a buffet supper at a thick over practically all of his body. His temperature was never private home. Twelve became ill from 1 to 6 hours after eating more than 102,o and most of the time was about 100.° He had cold ham. The ham was prepared 24 hours before serving and was considerable discomfort and pain, especially backache, but was not said to have been refrigerated. Laboratory examination of the extremely sick. His eruptions consisted of crops. In a 2-inch- ham revealed the presence of a large number of hemolytic square area it was possible to find tiny papules, macules, vesi- Staphylococcus aureus. Coliform organisms were also found. cules, pustules, and crusts that were black in color. These were The second outbreak occurred among patients and employees extremely numerous over his entire body, and 3 to 4 days later in a hospital following the ingestion of creamed turkey. Although extended to the palms of his hands and soles of his feet. Seven, the turkey was served to about 250 patients and several employees, and possibly 8, cases of chickenpox were reported in his town and the outbreak was confined to 2 adjacent wards. The turkey and neighborhood. In the opinion of several physicians the symptoms cream sauce had been prepared at 10:00 a.m. and thereafter did not indicate smallpox. However, material taken from both unrefrigerated. The meat was served for the noon meal without vesicules and pustules was inoculated in a chick embryo. The any ill effects. However, when it was served for the evening growth which resulted was thought to be either smallpox or herpes. meal 12 patients and a nurse became ill from 6 to 14 hours after Since generalized herpes did not appear to be a likely diagnosis, it this meal. It was concluded that only a portion of the creamed was concluded that this was a confirmed smallpox case. turkey had become contaminated. Stool cultures of the food handlers and of those who became ill were negative. Samples Infectious hepatitis of the turkey were also negative. Dr. R. L. Cleere, Colorado Department of Public Health, gives Dr. W. R. Giedt, Washington State Department of Health, preliminary information on an outbreak of infectious hepatitis in a reports 2 outbreaks of gastro-enteritis in widely separated county in the northeastern part of the State. The outbreak occurred counties. One outbreak occurred in a private home and consisted between March 7 and April 13, 1953. Practically all of the 49 of 4 cases. The illness occurred in all who ate ham. The meat reported cases were in boys who participated in athletic events at was a precooked ham which was purchased at a local market where a high school. The incubation period was from 10 to 14 days. The it was cut in 3 pieces. It was cooked for 1 hour on the day of suspected source was a possible contaminated water supply at the purchase and for 30 minutes on the following day. After the school. The plumbing is still under study, but it is believed that first cooking it was placed in a deep freeze, and after the second, the water could have become contaminated through faulty plumbing. it was refrigerated. On the day following the second cooking it was sliced and served cold. Cultures of the meat surface revealed Tularemia many colonies of gram positive coccus resembling M. pyogenes Dr. H. M. Erickson, Oregon State Board of Health, reports 1 albus. Cultures of the equipment yielded M. pyogenes var. albus. case of tularemia in his Communicable Disease Summary for the The other outbreak occurred among persons who attended week ended April 11. This was a student who contracted the an Easter egg hunt sponsored by local civic groups. An investi disease in a college laboratory. gation revealed that the eggs were purchased from a local egg and poultry company. Eggs from this company had not given Trichiniasis rise to such an incident in the past. The eggs were hard boiled Dr. H. M. Erickson also reports 3 new cases of trichiniasis April 1, and brought to a private residence where they were dyed |