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
London County Council 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The following is a summary of the progress of the work during 1936 :— Table 24
| Classification | Residential schools and children's homes | Residential special schools | Approved schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number tested for susceptibility to diphtheria | 1,138 | 200 | 445 |
| Number found to be immune | 488 | 133 | 330 |
| Number found to be susceptible | 650 | 67 | 115 |
| Number who completed the full immunising course and gave negative reactions on re-test | 342 | 46 | 45 |
| Number who left the schools before course of injections had been completed | 130 | 2 | 11 |
| Number outstanding on 31st December, 1936, who had received one or more injections and whose course of immunisation was to be completed in 1937 | 178 | 19 | 59 |
During the year 1936, 27 children were removed to hospital as actual or suspected
cases of diphtheria. Of these, 9 subsequently proved not to be diphtheria,
15 were recognised as suffering from clinical diphtheria and 3 were carriers.
The following is an analysis of the 15 clinical cases:—
| Classification | Hospital diagnosis | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Schick negative on preliminary test | Faucial | 1 | |
| Mild faucial | 1 | ||
| — | 2 | ||
| Schick negative after course of prophylactic injections | Severe faucial (onset was 16 months after course of prophylactic injections) | 1 | |
| Course of prophylactic injections not completed | Diphtheria and scarlet fever | 1 | |
| Moderate tonsillar | 1 | ||
| Severe (child died) | 1 | ||
| — | 3 | ||
| Not Schick-tested | Acute nasal | 1 | |
| Mild faucial | 4 | ||
| Faucial | 2 | ||
| Mild | 1 | ||
| Tonsillar | 1 | ||
| — | 9 |
To ascertain the duration of immunity conferred by prophylaxis, 316 children
who were stated to have been Schick negative after receiving a course of prophylactic
injections were again re-tested during 1936. The intervals which had elapsed
between the time of active immunisation and the re-test ranged from 9 months to
12 years and the results obtained were as follows:—
Duration of
immunity
conferred by
prophylaxis.
Interval after
post-immunisation
Schick negative test
Result of later
Schick lest
Negative
Positive
10—12 years 3 0
5-10 „ 14 1
3-5 „ 41 0
2-3 „ 133 7
9 months to 2 years 112 5
Total 303 13
It will be noted that, of the total of 316, 303, or 95 per cent., proved to be still
Schick negative, and only 13, or 4.2 per cent., had reverted to Schick positive.
During the year 1936 out of a total of 1,571 staff, whose ages ranged from 18
to 65, 360, or nearly 23 per cent., asked to be Schick-tested, and immunised if
necessary. Of these, 153, or 42.5 per cent., proved to be Schick positive and underwent
the immunisation course.
Although, in the case of children, reactions following inoculation have been
negligible with scarcely any exception, some instances have been reported among
Immunisation
against
diphtheria of
members of
the staff.