London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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68
Diphtheria Contacts.
As in former years we have continued to swab all diphtheria contacts among
school children and toddlers.
| Contacts swabbed. | Positive Results. | Contacts positive. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nose and Throat. | Nose only. | Throat only. | |||
| First Examination | 66 | 9 | 18 | - | 27* |
| Second | 23 | — | 9 | — | 9 |
| Third | 9 | - | 1 | - | 1** |
* 4 positive contacts removed to L.C.C. Fever Hospitals.
** Virulence test made in the case of this contact—negative.
The parents or others in charge of children harbouring diphtheria bacilli were
given written directions as to the precautions necessary.
The results of the examinations of child contacts were communicated to the
School Medical Department of the London County Council so that children
harbouring diphtheria bacilli could be kept from school providing there was no
evidence that the organisms were avirulent.
Diphtheria antitoxin was available free of charge on application by medical
practitioners. In three cases doses were supplied of 8,000 units each.
The Schick Test and Immunisation against Diphtheria.
This work has been carried on since 1922 at the Council's Maternity and
Child Welfare Centre, 10, John Street, on Wednesday afternoons.
Enquiries as to the effect of the testing and inoculation on the individual were
made as a routine; we arc able to record that any disturbance caused was
negligible. The use of toxoid antitoxin does away with the risk of fatality incurred
by using improperly-made toxin antitoxin,