London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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38
During the year, 33 children were removed to hospital from the residential
establishments where immunisation against diphtheria is carried out, suffering or suspected
to be suffering from diphtheria. As a result of subsequent findings, 7 (21.2
per cent.) proved not to be suffering from diphtheria, 1 (3 per cent.) yielded bacteriological
but no clinical evidence of diphtheria, and 25 (75.8 per cent.) were found to
be suffering from clinical diphtheria. The following analysis of the 25 clinical cases
indicates the number of children who had been subjected to immunisation at the
residential establishments and the subsequent diagnosis at the hospital:—

The following analysis of the 25 clinical cases indicates the number of children who had been subjected to immunisation at the residential establishments and the subsequent diagnosis at the hospital:—

ClassificationHospital diagnosis
Schick negative on preliminary test and therefore notl subjected subsequently to prophylactic injections |Paucial3
Nasal14*
Schick negative after course of prophylactic injections Course of prophylactic injections not completedNasal1†
Faucial3
Nasal3
_6**
Not Schick-testedFaucial10
Nasal414

*1—10 months after Schick negative result.
1—11 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,
1—7 „ ,, ,, ,, ,,
1—6 years ,, ,, ,, ,,
†l—2½ ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,
**1—10 days after second injection of diphtheria prophylactic.
1—10 months ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,
4—No prophylactic given.
Active
immunisation
against
scarlet
fever
Active immunisation against scarlet lever was carried out at tour of the Council's
residential establishments, viz., Mayford approved school and Shirley, Ongar and
Hutton residential schools. During the year 1937, 857 children were Dick-tested,
viz., 501 boys and 356 girls, of whom 374 boys (74.7 per cent.) and 251 girls (70-5 per
cent.) proved to be Dick negative, while 127 boys (25.3 per cent.) and 105 girls
(29.5 per cent.) were Dick positive or susceptible to scarlet fever.

The following is an analysis of the number of children Dick-tested and immunised during 1937:—

Table 24

AgeTotal testedPercentage
MaleFemaleDick negativeDick positive
MaleFemaleMaleFemale
2 years513231.425.068.675.0
3 „453246.643.753.456.3
4 „252164.057.136.042.9
5 „241866.777.833.322.2
6 „172382.482.617.617.4
7 „342579.484.020.616.0
8 „231791.388.28.711.8
9 „333793.991.9618.1
10 „1620100.085.015.0
11 „432286'077.214022.8
12 „403287.568.712.531.3
13 „792781.089.019011.0
14 „652684.676.915.423.1
15 „52280.054.520.045.5
16 „12100.0100.0
50135674.770.525.329.5
Age groups of children in above table
2—5 years14510347.646.652.453.4
6—10 „12312288.686.911.413.1
11—16 „23313184.174 015.926 0
50135674.770.525.329.5