Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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5. ARTIFICIAL IMMUNISATION.
Last year I mentioned that steps were being taken to provide facilities for
immunisation against whooping cough, and during the year such facilities were
offered to the public. This service, however, has met with little support from the
public, and in all but twenty-four cases have been treated, and of these only eighteen
completed the course of treatment. It will be seen, therefore, that the numbers
treated are far too small for any considered opinion to be given upon the efficiency
of this treatment.
Efforts were also made, during the year, to commence a scheme whereby measles
serum would be available to the public, especially for certain cases in your hospital.
Unfortunately, last year was not a " measles year " and it was not found
possible to obtain blood from convalescing cases for the necessary serum to be
prepared. We are, however, making further endeavours in this direction.
The following table shows what has been done under the immunisation scheme
Diphtheria | Scarlet Fever. | Whooping Cough. | |
---|---|---|---|
Total number of cases treated | 152 | 44 | 24 |
Number of first attendances for treatment | 88 | 34 | 24 |
„ subsequent attendances for treatment | 283 | 161 | 41 |
,, final " Schick " tests | 114 | — | — |
„ final" Dick " tests | — | 29 | — |
„ final attendances for treatment | — | — | 18 |
6. CANCER.
There have been 86 deaths from cancer, 48 below the age of 65 years and 38
above the age of 65,