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Protection against Whooping Cough.
Investigation into Efficacy of Whooping Cough Vaccines.
In my last two Annual Reports I have submitted information
regarding the controlled investigation, into the efficacy of whooping
cough vaccines, undertaken in collaboration with the Medical
Research Council. The investigation began in February, 1949,
and finished in June, 1951, the Leyton contribution being 1,000
cases. Although the actual inoculations of these 1,000 children
were completed, the necessary work connected with the supervision
and following-up will be continued.
The full results of the investigation will not be available for
some considerable time, but those available so far show that the
incidence and severity of whooping cough in the protected groups
have been appreciably less than in the control groups. There has
been considerable variation in the amount of protection afforded
by vaccines from different sources, and one particular type of
vaccine has been found to give much better protection against the
disease than any of the others tested.
Arrangement for Public Protection.
In April, 1951, I reported to the appropriate Committee the
existence of a considerable local demand for the continuation of
facilities for protection against whooping cough after the termination
of the controlled trials, and application was made to the