London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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weight. Many during the war were immunised against more diseases than these
-those going East were protected against smallpox, typhoid and the paratyphoid
fevers, cholera, dysentery and plague. Who can show that they suffered any
harm by talcing advantage of the progress of science?
The Schick test and immunisation against diphtheria is already being
successfully applied to the nursing and domestic staffs in certain hospitals, including
those of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Moreover it is becoming more and
more the rule for nurses on the staffs of infectious diseases hospitals to be
immunised against the diseases they might contract as the result of their being
in contact with infectious patients.
Bacteriological Examination of Nose and Throat Swabs.
| Total Contacts swabbed | 33 | ||||
| Negative | 26 | ||||
| Positive | 7 (21 per cent.) | ||||
| Contacts swabbed. | Nose and Throat. | Positive Results. Nose only. | Throat only. | Contacts positive. | |
| First Examination | 33 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Second | 6 | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| Third | 1 | — | - | - | — |
The parents or others in charge of children harbouring diphtheria bacilli were
given written directions as to the precautions necessary.
The results of the examinations of child contacts were communicated to the
School Medical Department of the London County Council so that children
harbouring diphtheria bacilli could be kept from school providing there was no
evidence that the organisms were avirulent. One virulence test was made in
1928; the bacillus was found to be avirulent.
Diphtheria antitoxin was available free of charge on application by medical
practitioners. In seven cases doses were supplied of 8,000 units each and in two
others 10,000 units.
The Schick Test and Immunisation against Diphtheria.
This work has been carried on since 1922 at the Council's Maternity and
Child Welfare Centre, 10, John Street, on Wednesday afternoons.
Enquiries as to the effect of the testing and inoculation on the individual were
made as a routine; we are able to record that any disturbance caused was
negligible. The use of toxoid antitoxin does away with the risk of fatality incurred
by using improperly-made toxin antitoxin.