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27
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION.
During 1940 the number of children who were immunised
decreased considerably, but this was mainly due to the fact
that during the early part of the year, owing to war conditions
and the evacuation of children from the Borough,
Immunisation Clinics were not held.
Towards the end of November, however, a big drive was
commenced to immunise all children remaining in the
Borough. Letters were sent to parents of 250 children
sleeping in air raid shelters, and the School Medical
Officers of the London County Council used propaganda to
persuade the parents of children still in Hammersmith
Schools to have them immunised. From the following
table it can be seen that before the end of 1940 111 children
had received their first immunising inoculation.
It is satisfactory to note that the number of children who
are being immunised at the Council's Welfare Centres is
steadily increasing, and although the percentage of PostSchick
Tests made is low, this is entirely due to the large
number of children who were evacuated.