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18
It is interesting, once again, to note the regular habits of the Measles cycle,
which is clearly seen in the following chart showing figures relating to notifications
received during the past ten years.
I am pleased to be able to report that no confirmed cases of Diphtheria were
notified during the year.
Contacts and Carriers of Infectious Disease—Sickness Benefit
One certificate was issued during the year to a hospital student nurse who had
been in contact with an anthrax culture at the hospital.
Immunisation and Vaccination
This work is organised from the No. 1 Divisional Health Office of the London
County Council, which serves the boroughs of Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith
and Kensington.
Prevention of Diphtheria, Whooping Cough and Tetanus
The majority of children are immunised against these diseases, the proportion
of those in the 1-4 years age group being approximately 75 per cent. A total of
11,224 children within the Division were protected against tetanus, 14,082 against
diphtheria and 8,734 against whooping cough during the year.
Prevention of Smallpox
Considerable support has been forthcoming for the suggestion that routine
infant vaccination should cease and that outbreak control measures should take
its place. The Standing Medical Advisory Committee has considered the problem
and decided that there is no evidence to justify this suggestion and have advised
the Minister of Health that routine vaccination should continue in early childhood.
Research to discover an alternative effective and safe vaccine to obviate the
complications of vaccination has not reached the stage at which present vaccine
can be superseded.
However, in the light of present information it is suggested that smallpox
vaccination should be offered to children during their first two years of life, but
preferably during the second year.
In the No. 1 Division this year 21,573 primary vaccinations and 40,206 revaccinations
were performed.