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Vaccination against measles is not yet provided as a routine protection. Investigations
however, have been going forward with this aim in view and the department
continued with such an investigation which the London County Council had commenced
in collaboration with the Medical Research Council, and the clinical portion
was completed during the year.
The object of the investigation, for which 45,000 children aged between 10 months
and 2 years were initially registered by their parents in the participating areas (Bristol,
Edinburgh, Hull, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton, Southend, Yorkshire (West
Riding), West Sussex, and the former administrative counties of London and
Middlesex), is to determine the degree and duration of protection against measles
given by a number of vaccines and the frequency and severity of vaccination reactions.
During 1965 the local follow-up of children vaccinated in 1965 was completed and
vaccine offered to those who had failed to complete the course in 1964 and to those
who had been set aside as a control group, other than those who had in the meantime
had measles. In this part of the investigation of the 631 children offered vaccination
235 (37.2%) completed the course. 270 children actually commenced the course
and a few of the children offered vaccination who would have taken advantage of it
were unable to do so because of their state of health at the time. The follow-up to
test reactions has been completed and long-term follow-up on the effectiveness of
the vaccine will be carried out by the Medical Research Council with the assistance
of the Department where necessary.
SCARLET FEVER
The number of cases was 161 in 1965, the disease nowadays is of a mild type and
generally responds well to treatment with modern drugs. It is probable that many
very mild cases do not get notified.
WHOOPING COUGH
The number of cases was 108, a decrease of 82 over those of the previous year. The
number would undoubtedly be much less if every susceptible child were to take
advantage of the whooping cough immunisation scheme.
DYSENTERY
The number of cases again showed a quite substantial decrease over the previous
year. Nevertheless there is no room for complacency as this disease can quite easily
be prevented from occurring at all. The way to eliminate this disease from the community
is for everybody simply to adopt the highest hygienic standards in connection
with all apparatus of the water closet and with hand washing.
TUBERCULOSIS
157 cases were notified, the lowest recorded for the area of the present borough.
The rate per 100,000 of the population (54) was the lowest since 1950, and this
fact is most encouraging.
Among the responsibilities taken over by the Council on 1st April, 1965, under the
London Government Act, 1963, were the following services formerly provided by
the London County Council for the prevention of tuberculosis and the care and
after-care of tuberculous persons in the Borough. The total number of such persons
on the registers of the two chest clinics (Deptford and Lewisham) in the Borough
on 31.12.65 was 3,091.
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