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
Coulsdon and Purley 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Coulsdon]
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be instituted as and when these are indicated. It should certainly not
deter parents from agreeing to immunisation against diphtheria, which
will only be given when the time is opportune.
No further evidence has been forthcoming since my last Report to
justify the inauguration of an official scheme for the immunisation of
children against whooping cough.
D iphtheria I mmunisation.
The following table shows the treatment given during 1949, and the proportion of children estimated to have been immunised in that year:—
| Centres and Clinics (including day nurseries). | |
| Nimber of sessions held during the year | |
| Number of children who commenced treatment | 394 |
| Number who completed treatment | 418 |
| Number of "Booster" doses given | 125 |
| Total number of attendances | 937 |
| Schools. | |
| Number of visits made | 24 |
| Number commencing treatment | 44 |
| Number completed treatment | 22 |
| Number of "Booster" doses given | 367 |
| General Practitioners. | |
| Number completed treatment | 263 |
| Number given "Boosters" | 82 |
| Proportion of children estimated to have been immunised:— | |
| (a) from 1-5 years | 48.7% |
| 88.6% |
Unfortunately, all the above figures indicate a decrease in immunisation
compared with the corresponding figures in 1948. The number of
children who received a primary course diminished by about 12 per cent.,
the number "boosted" by about 40 per cent., while the precentage of
the children aged 1 to 5 years, who had been immunised was estimated to
be 4.7 per cent. less than in the previous year. The latter probably
reflects the absence of any case of diphtheria in the District during the
last three years. While the proportion of school children which has been
immunised has not yet been affected, it obviously will do so in time if the
present tendency continues.
It is incumbent upon parents to co-operate in ensuring that diphtheria
is not allowed to reappear in our midst.
Vaccination.
In 1948 it was only possible to report on the number of vaccinations
carried out during the second half of the year when the new policy came
into force and the local Health Authority became responsible for this
work. The year 1949 is thus the first full year for which statistics are
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