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gained, it was felt that the practical work of the course was inappropriate for the
housewives employed in the Council's domestic help service, and no decision to hold
any further courses has been taken pending a further approach from the National
Institute.
IMMUNISATION AND VACCINATION
Diphtheria Immunisation
Diphtheria immunisation is carried out at child welfare centres, special immunisation
clinics, day schools and residential establishments in London. When parents
prefer their family doctor to immunise their children, general practitioners undertake
the work and are paid a fee of 5s. for each completed record of immunisation sent to
the Council. Material is supplied free of charge through the Ministry of Health's
Public Health Laboratory Service.
The total number of children immunised against diphtheria for the first time in
1951 under all these arrangements was 40,656, and in addition 22,908 "boosting"
doses were given. The corresponding figures for 1950 were 46,689 and 27,579.
There has been a steady decline since 1949 in the number of children receiving
primary immunisation. This is most regrettable and methods of reversing the trend
are under consideration. One reason for the decline is undoubtedly the publicity
given to exaggerated reports of cases of paralysis following inoculation in 1949 and
1950: another is the low incidence of diphtheria, which, whilst itself resulting from
the successful measures of immunisation, tends to produce apathy in parents to
whom the old days of the diphtheria scourge were unknown. The attainment and
maintenance of a high level of immunity in the child population is most urgent and
essential.
Residential
establishments
for
children in
London

Residential
establishments
for
children
outside
London