View report page

- 21 -
MEASLES VACCINATION
During the year, the Council continued to take part in the Medical Research
Council's investigation of Measles Vaccine, continuing with the policy already adopted
previously by the London County Council. Briefly, the trial consisted of vaccinating
children aged ten months to two years by two vaccination schedules; either giving live
vaccine alone, or live vaccine preceded one month earlier by a dose of killed vaccine.
The incidence and severity of measles occurring in all groups was recorded for six months after
vaccination, and also the reaction to the live vaccine. The results of the trial were not
in fact published until early in 1966 but, generally speaking, the trial has shown that measles
vaccine is safe and effective although, as a result of this, a Ministry Circular received in
February, 1966, stated that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation felt that
it was premature to embark on any programme of general measles vaccination and for Authorities
to make arrangements under Section 26 of the National Health Service Act, 1946, but
that vaccines should be available to doctors who wished to use them for any of their patients.
TETANUS IMMUNISATION
In September, 1965, a circular letter was received expressing the recommendations
of the Advisory Group on Protection against Tetanus. The Group consider that as
active immunisation is the only measure which affords reliable protection against tetanus,
universal active immunisation should be the ultimate goal. Not only would this prevent
many cases of tetanus occurring, but also following any injury a further injection of tetanus
toxoid alone would be sufficient and thus the various complications due to anti-serum would
be avoided.
The normal procedure now adopted is for an infant to receive the primary course
of tetanus as Triple Antigen with a booster at eighteen months and a further booster combined
with diphtheria at school entry. The figures are as follows:-
Total primary
courses
completed
Total
reinforcing
doses
At Council clinics 2,533 2,686
By general practitioners 501 516
Total: 3,034 3,202
ANTHRAX VACCINATION
A circular letter from the Ministry of Health received in September, 1965,
strongly urged authorities within whose areas there are specific establishments such as
tanneries and bone-meal factories, to make the necessary arrangements under Section 26 of
the National Health Service Act, 1946, for vaccination against anthrax. Once arrangements
had been made, the vaccine would be supplied free. There is no such establishment
within the borough.
TUBERCULOSIS (BCG VACCINATION)
The policy adopted by the London County Council of offering BCG vaccination
to thirteen year old schoolchildren was continued, recommencing in the autumn term. The
acceptance rate was 72.1 per cent. and the positivity rate was 6.4 per cent. This compares
well with the 8.6 per cent. in 1964 for the whole of London.
It is proposed in the new year to offer all positive reactors a chest X-ray and
for the home contacts of those with a "severe" reaction (more than 20 m.m. local reaction)
also to be followed up by health visitors and offered chest X-ray examination.