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126
In every case Diphtheria Toxoid Anti-Toxin (Goat) was used
for immunisation, three injections at intervals of a week or more
being given.
In addition to the 203 children immunised, 7 children (3 3 per
cent. of the total) ceased attendance after the first or second injection,
despite repeated requests to the parents to bring them to the Clinic.
This small percentage appears to indicate that it is worth while continuing
with the three-injection technique, as against the "one-shot"
method, which is much less certain in its results.
In no instance was there any alarming reaction. In a very small
percentage of the cases there was a local erythema which passed off
in a few days and did not require any special treatment.
It is, perhaps, of interest to record the only case in which any
severe reaction was attributed to the injections. A very irate parent
arrived at the Town Hall demanding to see the Doctor who had
"nearly killed" his daughter. It was ascertained that the child had
been given a first injection ten days previously. There was no obvious
reaction until the night of the tenth day, when she became acutely ill
in the middle of the night, with symptoms suggesting some form of
intestinal obstruction. Enquiry at the school brought to light the fact
that the child had swallowed a large piece of plasticine on the previous
afternoon and had been sent home. The parent returned to the Town
Hall later in the day and was profusely apologetic.
The increase in the number of children immunised during 1936
is largely due to the whole-hearted co-operation of Head Teachers in
some of the schools in the Borough. Lectures on Immunisation were
delivered to the Parents' Associations in the schools, with very
gratifying results. In three of the non-provided schools the children
were immunised on the school premises. This procedure has many
advantages over attendance at the Council's Clinics; the children are
much less troublesome to inject at school in the presence of their
teachers than at the Clinics, where they are accompanied by their
parents. Furthermore, one batch of volunteers in a class usually gives
rise to many more on the second visit.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to hold Clinics for Diphtheria
Immunisation at the provided London County Council Schools.