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54
As a result of experience it is found that persons, over
about 14 or 15 years of age have acquired (a certain degree
of immunity, and as age advances this immunity increases.
Children under six years have seldom acquired any immunity at
all, and children between 6 and 15 only to a slight extent.
In 1913, Dr. Bela Schick discovered a test by which the
degree of immunity to diphtheria could be judged in any person
submitting to the test, whereupon persons who were found not
to be immune could then be inoculated to produce a condition,
of immunity, and it is accordingly on these lines that it would
appear as if in the future our best method of procedure against
this disease will be found to lie.
Considering this matter in the light of brilliant results
which have been achieved by similar measures in connection, with
Typhoid Fever, I judge that the general adoption of methods
on these lines would be of far-reaching importance and great
benefit to the public health, for I think there will be—
1.A saving of some 300 or 400 lives annually in
London alone ;
2. A very great reduction in the amount of post-diphtheretic
ill-health, i.e., paralysis, heart disease, etc., etc. ;
3. The financial factor, viz., an ultimate saving to the
ratepayers of Greenwich of some £10,000 annually by
reason of the less number of cases needing treatment in
hospital, this latter figure being based on an average
stay in hospital per patient of say, 5 weeks, at a cost
of £5 per week. This multiplied by 400, the average
of the number of cases removed to hospital, being
£10,000.
I would accordingly suggest that with the sanction of the
Ministry of Health, this Council decide to hold one afternoon
session per week for carrying out this work, make it thoroughly
well known throughout the Borough what is being done in this
respcct, and in this way use all possible means to provide and
invite parents to bring their children to be tested and if found
necessary, for further immunisation. The expenditure would be
comparatively trilling, viz., the services of a competent medical
practitioner, who was experienced and interested in such work,
the use of one of the rooms, say at the Borough Hall, and
the services of a nurse to be in attendance during this weekly
session, together with the necessary testing and immunisation
material and instruments. I should estimate the actual out-of-