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Compared with the figures for the previous year there was a
large decrease in the number of cases of diphtheria, measles, scarlet
fever and acute influenzal pneumonia.
Schick Clinic. —The diphtheria immunisation clinic was continued
throughout the year. The arrangement with the London
County Council whereby children who had been inoculated by the
School Medical Officer, attended for testing as to immunity, continued
in force during the year. The clinic was attended by 1,468
Patients (662 new; 279 old and 527 who had been inoculated
b y school medical officers). 921 were found to be immune on test
a fter inoculation.
The increase in the proportion of children known to have been
immunised has been slow and shows that much work still remains
to be done before mass-immunity of the population is assured. The
estimated figures are as follows:-
Age Group.
June.
Dec.
0—5
34.8%
36.1%
5—15
57.6%
61.5%
Arrangements are in force for private practitioners to immunise
children who are unable to attend the clinic, but no children were
immunised in this way during the year.
The Schick test is offered to all children who have been immunised
whether by the School Medical Officers or at the Council's
clinic, but the response from the School immunised children has
been rather low. It was found that 98.2% of the children tested
after inoculation were Schick negative. A very stringent standard
was maintained in reading the test and most of those found to be
Schick positive showed by the mildness of the reaction that they
had attained a considerable degree of protection against diphtheria.
Tuberculosis. —Beside 184 cases notified, there were otherwise
reported 18, making a total of 202 new cases, and a case rate of
236.6 per 100,000 population.
The Dispensary was carried on throughout the year as in normal
times.
Deaths from tuberculosis numbered 96, of which 8 were of the
non-pulmonary form.
The death rates for all forms of tuberculosis was 112.4 per
100,000 population, that for the pulmonary cases being 103. These
figures whilst higher than those for the preceding two years are
lower than those for 1941.
The death rate for the non-pulmonary cases was 9.4 per 100,000
Population which is a decrease of 0.7 from the corresponding
figure for 1943.
Advantage was taken of the proximity of the mass radiography
unit at the end of 1943 and the beginning of 1944 to arrange for