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

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Heston and Isleworth 1934

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]

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As has been stated previously, children found to be primarily Schick-negative have
received a confirmatory Schick Test later when possible.
Of the 790 naturally immune subjects in the above series, it was found possible to re-test
341 at a period of from 3 to 6 months later.
The results were as follows :—
Still Schick-negative 336
Reversion to some degree of Positive reaction 5
Percentage of reversion 1.46
The next analysis made was in relation to the percentage of children of all ages who
were successfully immunised by three injections of 1 c.cm. of T.A.M. The second injection was
given 7 days after the first, and the third injection made 14 days after the second.

The results of the second Schick tests made from 3 to 4 months after the last injection are given below, tabulated in age groups.

Investigation covering 2323 cases Re-Schicked from 3 to 4 months after immunisation by Method 1.

AgeNegative after 3 InjectionsNegative only after Further InjectionsTotal CasesPercentage not Immunised
110851134.4
210761135.3
311881266.3
4140151559.6
52354227715.1
62414328415.1
72273426113.0
82384027814.3
92233125412.2
101882221010.4
11921110310.6
1262147618.4
13 and over6587310.9
Total all ages2044279232311.8

From the above it will be seen that 11.8% of the subjects were not effectively immunised
by these means. Naturally the matter was not allowed to rest there, and the 279 who were not
immunised by the three injections were given a further series of as many injections as proved
necessary. They were all ultimately shown to have become Schick-negative.
It must be remarked that there is really no guide as to the number of extra injections that
will be required by resistant cases other than perhaps the intensity of the second Schick Test
reaction as compared with that obtained in the primary test. This is one argument in favour of
keeping some sort of accurate record of the nature and extent of the original positive test. More
will be said on the subject of the procedure adopted in those cases where additional injections are
required later in this paper.
On the whole, the results obtained from the above series of cases left us dissatisfied, and
it was resolved to determine whether a larger final dose of T.A.M. would produce a higher rate
of immunity among the children at the end of three or four months.
The procedure adopted in Method 2 was to give all Schick-positive subjects two injections
of lc.cm. of T.A.M. at weekly intervals, followed 14 days later by a final injection of 1.5 c.cm.
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