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1935] 32
DIPHTHERIA ANTI-TOXIN.
Under the Special Order of 15th August, 1910, the then Local Government
Board sanctioned the provision by the Sanitary Authority, in pursuance of
section 77 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, of a temporary supply of
Diphtheria Anti-Toxin " for the poorer inhabitants of the district, subject to the
following conditions, that is to say, the arrangements with respect to the keeping,
distribution and use of the Diphtheria Anti-toxin shall be made in accordance with
the advice of the Medical Officer of Health."
The section of the Public Health Act referred to is that which enables the
authority, with the sanction of the Ministry of Health, to provide a temporary
supply of medicine, etc., for the poorer inhabitants of their district.
During the year 74,000 units of Diphtheria Anti-toxin serum were issued to
Medical Practitioners in the Borough. Of this quantity 20,000 units were sold,
the total amount received by the Council being 19s. lOd. The remaining 54,000
units were given free, owing to the patients' limited means.
Diphtheria Immunisatio n.—The Medical Officer of Health
received direct applications in respect of 46 children for immunisation against
Diphtheria during the year. In 45 of these the immunisation was completed.
The remaining case had a suspicious throat and a swab was taken which on
examination proved to be Diphtheria, and the child was removed to hospital.
Information was received of 7 Islington children immunised at the Municipal Clinic
in an adjacent borough ; that number therefore falls to be added to the 46 ; also
one immunised for us at a hospital, making a total) of 54.
The cost of this service was £22 17s. 6d.
It was known that several of the medical practitioners in the Borough were
also immunising children brought to them. In these circumstances it was found
expedient, when making our infectious disease investigations at the homes on the
occurrence of a case of Diphtheria, to make pertinent enquiries as to whether the
particular case had undergone any immunisation treatment. In addition, there
falls to be added to these immunisations done through the Public Health Department,
hospitals and general practitioners, a number immunised at a clinic started
for this purpose at the East Islington Welfare Centre. These for the period
14th October, 1935 to December, 1935, numbered 136.
See also Centres' Conjoint Committee's report, see page 17.
Scarlet Fever.—716 cases were notified, and they showed a decrease of
410 on the average (1,126) of the ten years 1925-34. The attack-rate was equal to
2.32 per 1,000 of the civil population annually, which is a decrease of 1.15 per
1,000 of the mean rate (3.47) of the preceding ten years. In London the attackrate
was 2.6 per 1,000 of the civil population.
Enteric Fever.—A total of 7 cases of Enteric Fever were notified. This
is a decrease of 8 on the average (15) that obtained during the ten years 1925-34.
I he attack-rate was 0.05 per 1,000 annually, the same as the mean rate, 0.05, of
the last ten years. In London the rate was 0.05.
Puerperal Fever.—See page 12.
Erysipelas—130 cases were notified, and were 24 below the average of the
preceding ten years, the attack-rate being 0.41 per 1,000 of the civil population,