View report page

95
Shirley.—Epidemics of diphtheria had occurred over a period of three years
prior to 1929. In May of that year it was decided to immunise the children and
since that time the school has been entirely free from the disease.
Training Ship "Exmouth."—There were 57 cases of diphtheria amongst the
boys during the years 1921-23. Active immunisation was begun in 1924, and since
then 18 of the unprotected boys have contracted the disease. No case has occurred
amongst boys who have received the full course of immunisation.
It was decided to continue the existing arrangements at these four institutions
pending consideration of the action to be taken at the remaining schools and homes
transferred to the Council under the Local Government Act, 1929. Here it may be
stated that cases of diphtheria occurred amongst the children at the Leytonstone
children's home at the end of 1930, and the managing committee of that home
subsequently applied for the introduction of immunisation.
In July a report upon the subject was submitted to the Education Committee,
in which it was pointed out that the process of immunising children against diphtheria
is being increasingly adopted throughout this country and abroad, and that its
efficacy in preventing the spread of diphtheria especially in children's residential
institutions is generally recognised. It was stated that the schools and homes
transferred to the Council are constantly receiving fresh batches of children, and
that diphtheria may readily be introduced into these institutions. Having regard to
these circumstances it was decided that the existing arrangements for the active
immunisation against diphtheria should be continued in the four institutions referred
to above, that no child should be immunised without the written consent of the parent
or guardian or of the authority acting in loco parentis being obtained, that the introduction
of immunisation should be approved for the Leytonstone children's home,
and that any further applications by managing committees of the residential schools
and children's homes should receive consideration.
Schick test toxin and diphtheria prophylactic are prepared in the Council's
laboratories at Belmont for use in the Council's fever hospitals, and it was decided
that all requirements for these materials should be met from that source except in
the case of the Norwood and Mitcham schools, where Dr. O'Brien and Dr. Parish
obtain their supplies from the Wellcome laboratories.
Consideration was given to the arrangements to be made for expert medical
assistance to be available for carrying out the work in any of the schools and homes
where the immunisation of the children was to be newly introduced. Certain
members of the medical staff in the Council's hospital service have had previous
experience of this work, and it was decided that they should supervise the work until
the medical officers of the schools had received the requisite training.
These decisions were communicated to the managing committees of the
residential schools and children's homes, and as a result the committees of 10 of the
schools and homes (Ashford, Banstead, Cumberlow Lodge, Hammersmith, Hanwell,
Hutton, Lamorbey, Ongar, Peckham and Stifford) reported in favour of the introduction
of immunisation. The sanction of the Council has now (March) been obtained
and arrangements are being made for the work to be commenced at these institutions
in the near future.
The prophylactic prepared at the Belmont laboratories is a formolinised toxin
(formol toxoid) similar to the preparation used elsewhere under the name of anatoxin,
and Dr. R. G. White, the director of the laboratories, is keeping in close touch with
the medical officers engaged on the work with a view to collating the results obtained
from the use of this product.