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INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Diphtheria and its prevention.
T he Camberwell Borough Council were pioneers in
diphtheria prevention and set up an immunisation clinic
under the late Dr. Barnes as long ago as 1926. Unfortunately,
there was for some years a disappointing response
on the part of the public, and it was not until 1942, when
an intensive country-wide campaign was commenced, that
more and more parents realised that the prophylaxis being
offered for their children was both safe and effective.
The following table shows that there has been a remarkable
reduction in the incidence of diphtheria particularly
since 1943.
However, public apathy and complacency have grown
concomitantly with the diminution of a disease, the
ravages of which are unknown to the young parents of today.
In the last few years public health authorities
have been much concerned with the sequel to this attitude,
viz., the decreasing number of children being presented
by parents for immunisation. Sharp localised outbreaks
of diphtheria recently, with deaths in some places, have
underlined the ever-present need for vigilance in the
fight. Our best weapon is still immunisation. Ideally,
the child should receive a primary course of preventive
injections in the first year of life, followed by a reinforcing
dose at 5 years of age and a further "booster"
at 10 years if required. The duty and responsibility of
ensuring protection for the child against this dangerous
disease lies with the parents or guardians.
The re-appearance of diphtheria in north-west
Camberwell after a lapse of nine years has brought home
these facts. In November 1959, two children were found
to be mild clinical cases of diphtheria - neither had been
immunised. Investigations at the schools they attended
1959
7
Nil
1957
Nil
Nil
1948
15
Nil
1943
64
Nil
1938
394
20
1928
744
22
1921
870
64
Year
Deaths
Corrected
Notifications