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
Hornsey 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hornsey, Borough of]
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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Section 26
Vaccination
During the year the Minister of Health approved an amendment to
the County Council's Proposals as to Vaccination and Immunisation
made under the National Health Service Act to the effect that facilities
would be made available at the clinics for infant vaccination by medical
officers in addition to the service provided by general practitioners.
This scheme has been well received by the mothers and it is hoped that
with its gradual development the percentage of infants vaccinated will
steeply rise; but even more intensive education of parents on the importance
of vaccination is required. Vaccination is being carried out
on infants, preferably at four months but not over 12 months old.
The following table records the number of persons known to have
been vaccinated or re-vaccinated during 1952:—
| Under 1 year | 1 year | 2-4 years | 5-14 years | 15 years and over | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (i) No. of persons primarily vaccinated | 937 | 55 | 38 | 54 | 135 | 1,219 |
| (ii) No. of persons re-vaccinated | - | - | 10 | 101 | 379 | 490 |
Immunisation
As stated in my last annual report the County Council agreed to
make available free whooping cough vaccination at all immunisation
clinics following the success achieved by the controlled experiments
carried out in this and other districts by the Medical Research Council
at the request of the Ministry of Health from 1950 to 1952.
The introduction of the new combined diphtheria pertussis vaccine
suspension now gives protection against diphtheria and a degree of protection
against whooping cough in a total of three injections. This
reduced total of injections is very popular with the mothers and it is
anticipated that the percentage of immunised children will show a
satisfactory increase during 1953. The series of three injections is
commenced at the age of six months wherever possible. The mothers
are informed that while a degree of protection against whooping cough
will be obtained it is less certain than protection against diphtheria.
It is felt that this warning is necessary to prevent immunisation against
diphtheria falling into disrepute should the child subsequently develop
an attack of whooping cough.
The following table records immunisations carried out by area medical
staff as well as general medical practitioners during 1952:—
71