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lasts from two to four years and it is advisable to give a
"booster" dose when the child commences school at the age of
five years.
Immunisation against diphtheria was introduced into
Camberwell in the year 1926. For a few years there was a
disappointing response on the part of the public. In 1942, an
intensive propaganda campaign was conducted throughout the
Borough and more and more mothers realised that the prophylaxis
offered them by the Council was safe and effective. It
gives great satisfaction to report that in the year under review
there was not a single case of confirmed diphtheria. This must
not be understood as implying absolute elimination of the
disease. The prevention of the occurrence of cases depends upon
the maintenance of an adequate level of immunisation. It is
essential for parents to realise that diphtheria is still a deadly
threat which can only be warded off by immunisation and that
it is their duty and responsibility not to leave their children unprotected.
The amount of money saved as a result of the reduction
in the incidence of diphtheria can readily be realised.
There is also the saving in hospital beds, doctors, nursing and
domestic staff. No more suitable example of prevention being
better than cure can be presented.
The graphs on pages 49 and 50 indicate the trend of the
incidence of diphtheria and deaths for the period 1921-51.
Whooping Cough.
Three hundred notifications of whooping cough were received
durirg the year of which two were subsequently found not to
be suffering from the disease. There were no deaths of notified
cases.
The characteristic paroxysmal cough is indicative of whooping
cough but whooping does not occur in every case, especially
in young children. Conclusive laboratory diagnosis depends upon
the isolation of the whooping cough bacillus haemophilus
pertussis. There is general agreement that whooping cough is
at present the most serious of all infectious diseases. Not only
is there a high incidence among children but it is also responsible
for many deaths in children under one year of a age.
The prevention of whooping cough by vaccination is possible.
Controlled trials have been made to assess the prophylactic
value of pertussis vaccine in children and it is generally
agreed that a considerable measure of protection can be obtained
with effective vaccines. Prophylactic vaccine should be given
to children within the first six months of life as more than half
of all the deaths occur in children under one year. In recent
years diphtheria and whooping cough immunisation have been
combined as one prophylactic.