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One case of post-vaccinal encephalomyelitis occurred but no death from complications
arising from vaccination was reported.
It was intimated in my last report that the significant drop in the number of
infants vaccinated in 1949 might be only temporary. This forecast appears to be
substantially true, as both vaccinations and revaccinations for 1950 show a considerable
increase over those for 1949 although the increase was largely confined to the
second quarter of the year when smallpox occurred in Glasgow.
Residential
establishments
for
children in
London
On 31st December, 1950, the number of children in the Council's residential
establishments who had been vaccinated was 397. Those awaiting vaccination
numbered 100, and of the remainder, 50 were awaiting parental consent, 121 were
not vaccinated for various reasons and parental consent was refused in respect of
116 children. The vaccinated children constituted approximately 50 per cent. of the
total in residence.
Residential
establishments
for
children out
side London
The responsibility for the vaccination of the children in the Council's out-county
residential establishments rests with the local health authority where the institution
is situated, the arrangements being similar to those for diphtheria immunisation.
Of a total of 4,363 children in residence at the end of the year, 2,203 had been vaccinated,
162 were awaiting vaccination, 721 were awaiting parental consent, 1,133 were
not vaccinated for various reasons and the parents of 144 children had refused
consent. Here again the proportion of vaccinated children in residence was approximately
50 per cent.
LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE
This service operates under the immediate supervision of Mr. A. G. Hellman,
O.B.E., the Officer-in-Charge.
Continued increase in demand for ambulance service
As stated in the report for 1949, an immediate and substantial increase in the
demand for ambulance transport followed the introduction of the National Health
Service and during 1950 this upward trend continued and showed no sign of levelling
out.
The statistical tables on page 72 show that, with the exception of work carried
out on an agency basis by the Home Service Ambulance Department of the Joint
Committee of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the British Red Cross Society,
. the number of patients carried and the mileage travelled were substantially in excess
of those for 1949 which themselves were " records."
By the end of the year, directly provided service vehicles alone were carrying out
an average of over 1,500 removals a day and great credit is due to the staff of the
service generally and to the ambulance control clerks and operative staff in particular
for the manner in which they have carried out their duties during this period of
unprecedented stress and strain.