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1937] 18
DIPHTHERIA ANTI-TOXIN.
The Minister of Health continued to sanction the provision—by the Sanitary
Authority, now under Section 227 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936—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 34,000 units of Diphtheria Anti-toxin serum were issued to
Medical Practitioners in the Borough. Of this quantity 24,000 units were sold,
the total amount received by the Council being £1 5s. 2d. The remaining 10,000
units were given free owing to the patients' limited means.
DIPHTHERIA PREVENTION.
Report of Assistant Medical Officer of Health.
Very considerable progress has to be recorded in this field of preventive work
during the year 1937. A large increase in the number of applications from parents
who desire to have their children immunised has to be recorded, and this increase
developed at such a rapid rate during the latter half of the year that it became
necessary to hold two clinic sessions per week in order to deal with the large numbers
applying.
The notice by which the London County Council Education Department
agreed to this Council's leaflets on Diphtheria Immunisation being distributed to
their schools was published in the L.C.C. Gazette of 11th January, 1937. Since
leaflets are apt to go astray or get lost sight of, a number of Consent Cards were also
distributed through the schools so that the parent could give his consent and notify
the Public Health Department immediately after having read the leaflet.
Schools in various parts of the Borough have been circulated from time to
time and the response was good in many cases.
Later in the year the children's Out-patient Departments of the following
hospitals also agreed to give publicity by means of leaflets to this Council's
Immunisation Clinic. These hospitals are:—
Royal Northern Hospital.
St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
University College Hospital.
Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
Royal Free Hospital.
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.
Since the necessity for immunisation arises when the child is about 12 months'
old, it was also decided that all Islington children upon attaining their first birthday
should be sent a birthday greeting card from the Medical Officer of Health, together
with a general advice card on normal development and feeding, etc., and an
Immunisation leaflet drawing the attention of parents at this stage to the protection
which can be afforded against Diphtheria at a susceptible age. This has produced
a very good response indeed, and a large number of applications come from parents
whose children are just over a year old.
As mentioned previously the number of applications increased very rapidly
during the latter half of the year, and it became necessary to consider a second
clinic session per week. The premises of the Miriam Price Coleman Day Nursery