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Broncho-Pneumonia supervening on encephalitis following vaccination
performed on September 9th, 1934.
The danger of encephalitis following vaccination is very slight
when it is performed early in life, but the danger is not so negligible
when primary vaccination is carried out during school age and
adolescence.
The recognition of cases of post-vaccinal encephalitis, although
few in number, has raised the question as to the necessity of vaccination
for contacts of cases of variola minor. This latter disease is so
trivial that it was difficult to press vigorously for the vaccination of
persons of adolescence and school age who had not previously been
vaccinated even if they had been in personal contact with a case of
mild smallpox. Should an outbreak of serious smallpox (variola
major) occur at any time, every effort should be made to acquaint
the public of the protective value of vaccination.
It is generally agreed that vaccination gives complete protection
against variola major and variola minor for several years, and partial
protection for many more years.
Diphtheria.
In 1934 520 cases of diphtheria were notified as compared with
507 in 1933. Of the 505 patients removed to an isolation Hospital
26 (5.1 per cent.) were subsequently discharged as not suffering from
diphtheria.
The number of "Return" cases was 10. The deaths numbered
20, representing a mortality rate of 3.8 per cent, as compared with
3.9 per cent, in 1933. Although the type of this disease in the
Borough was generally speaking mild, in various parts of England
with large centres of population there was evidence that diphtheria
was increasing in prevalence and severe in type. In view of the
possibility of this disease becoming more severe in London, it was
thought advisable to bring to the notice of medical practitioners in
the Borough that the experience of this Council's Bacteriologist was
that the bacillus of the virulent type does not grow well or typically,
on a cultured medium, and consequently it was essential neither
to wait for the Bacteriologist's report, nor to be influenced by the
report in the face of contrary clinical evidence, but to take steps
forthwith to treat the case and/or to have it removed to hospital on
the slightest evidence of diphtheria.
Anti-diphtheritic serum in phials containing 500 units for
prophylactic and 8,000 units for treatment purposes is available free
of charge to medical practitioners during the day and night at the
Town Hall and at Dulwich Baths.
In 1934 155 phials of 8,000 units and 49 phials of 500 units of
anti-toxin were supplied to medical practitioners for patients
resident in the Borough.