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35
should always be carried out oil persistent carriers so that tliosc carrying
virulent bacilli may be retained for special treatment, while the nonvirulcnt
carriers may safely be discharged to their homes.
Report on Schick Testing and Immunisation Treatment against
Diphtheria in Westminster, 1928.
This treatment has been continued during 1928 on the lines indicated
iu the report for 1927.
Two hundred and fifty-six cases were dealt with during the year, as
compared with 250 in 1927. It is possible that the figure might have
been slightly higher but for the fact that very little work was done in
January and February as many of the staff were occupied with special
duties arising out of the Thames Flood. In any case, the small but
steady supply of patients has been easily maintained, and there seems
no reason why it should not continue and even increase. There seems
to be justification for the belief that the best ultimate results will be
achieved by aiming at a gradual diffusion of knowledge and experience
of the treatment among parents.
Cases were dealt with at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres as
follows:—
Pimlico Road 97
Bessborough Street 46
Frith Street 42
Page Street 71
Total 256
The treatment involved 347 tests and retests, 573 doses of the prophylactic
mixture and 138 attendances for the reading of results only—a
total of 1,058 attendances. Twenty-four cases were in the course of
treatment at the end of the year and in 13 other cases treatment was
interrupted by intercurrent illness in the patient or because of infectious
disease in other members of the family. These cases will probably
complete the treatment in due course. Only 3 cases definitely abandoned
treatment before completion and this may be taken as an indication of
the interest taken by the parents. As last year, a number of cases who
accepted the Schick Treatment voluntarily had avoided vaccination.
At least 16 out of the 250 had never been vaccinated, none of them very
young children.