Intestinal infections predominated in the month under review, although typhoid fever declined to some extent. The dysenteries in particular were very prevalent. Cholera, which had gradually established itself during August, attained epidemic figures at the beginning of the month, but did rot show any signs of becoming a serious epidemic.
Whether anti-cholera inoculation has been partly responsible for the smaller numbers experienced so far this year is difficult to say, but it is certain that the lateness of the onset is not the only factor concerned, as the epidemic of 1937 demonstrated very clearly. It would seem that cholera, when established in epidemic form, does definitely follow a cycle as pointed out by this Department in 1930 and that severe epidemic years are seldom followed by another year of heavy incidence. Were it possible to ascertain the reasons for this cycle which has been observed previously in other cholera areas the work of prophylaxis would be considerably simplified. As it is, the existence of such a variation renders it impossible to state with any degree of certainty how far measures taken against the disease have been successful.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.