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25
Diphtheria.—I think I should draw attention to
the fact that the recorded notifications of Diphtheria
are not a completely reliable index to the actual incidence
as in 32 of the cases (or 52%) the diagnosis
was not confirmed in hospital. There was only one
death from this disease.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION.
A clinic for the provision of immunisation against
Diphtheria was opened at the Welfare Centre in
March and 588 children were treated thereat by the
end of the year. In 372 cases, the immunisation was
checked by the Schick test and a certificate of immunisation
was issued. From information with
regard to the immunisation of Bethnal Green children
by the London County Council and other agencies, it
would appear that approximately 38% of the children
under 15 are now so protected.
The effect of the first inoculation in infancy wears
off in the course of years and it is accordingly necessary,
in order to maintain the protection, for additional
inoculations to be carried out at the age of 5
and again during school life. This fact should be
borne in mind in assessing the value of this protective
measure in cases of Diphtheria which may occur
among immunised children. During the year one of
the seven cases of Diphtheria among children under
five was found to be a child who had been immunised,
while six out of 14 cases among children between 5
and 15 were also immunised. The one death during
the year occurred in a child who had not been immunised.
VACCINATION.
The following return of the Vaccination Officers
gives the figures with regard to vaccination during
the year.