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Diphtheria prophylaxis campaign in schools—In my reports for 1958 and 1959 I dealt
with the detection of a number of carriers of C. diphtheria mitis and of some mild cases
of diphtheria in some schools in the division and referred to plans for an intensive campaign
aimed to raise the immunisation rate in the primary schools.
During 1960 there was no further incident in the division and the intensive campaign
in the primary schools, which had been started in the previous autumn, continued throughout
the year with a total of 125 sessions held in 72 school departments. In these departments
there was an average of 36 per cent. of children fully protected before the campaign
started; this was raised by the end of the year to 85 per cent. The table below, which shows
the percentage immunisation state of the departments started and completed during 1960,
excludes 20 departments either started in 1959 and completed in 1960 or started in 1960
but not completed by 31 December.
0.20% 21.40% 41.60% 61.80% 81.100%
Before 10 J 24 13 5 Nil 47 schools below 60%, 5 above
After Nil Nil 1 13 38 school below 60%, 51 above
To achieve this result 909 primary courses were completed and 4,140 children received
a 'booster' at school, and in addition 408 schoolchildren received primary courses and
403 ' boosters ' at welfare centres.
Foot clinics—The Minister of Health's decision to allow local health authorities to
expand or start chiropody services for the priority classes resulted in allocation to this
division of 36 more sessions during the year, raising the number of authorised chairside
sessions to 109. At the end of the year 16 chairside sessions were not operating, due to
the shortage of qualified chiropodists and to loss of staff to other authorities.
Mental health service—With the coming into operation of the provisions of the Mental
Health Act, 1959 the divisional staff was augmented by the addition of a team of mental
welfare officers. A vacancy for a psychiatric social worker had not been filled at the end
of the year. Three training centres, Archway, Camden Road and Islington, also came
within the scope of the divisional organisation.
In order to acquaint general practitioners with the changes following the coming into
force of the Mental Health Act, 1959 and the divisionalisation of the Council's mental
health services, the City division of the British Medical Association arranged a meeting
and discussion held at Woodberry Down health centre in association with Dr. King,
Divisional Medical Officer, division 4.
Some 70 people attended the meeting, including general practitioners in the City division
practising in divisions 3 and 4, senior staff of the two health divisions and members of
their mental health teams.
Dr. L. Greenfield, Chairman of the City division of the British Medical Association,
took the chair and I introduced the subject. The sections of the Act dealing with the new
procedures for the admission of patients to hospital were explained by the divisional
mental welfare officer, division 4, and the role played by the hospital and the consultant
was reviewed by Dr. J. de Bastarrechea, Friern hospital. A lively discussion followed.
Premises—The general falling off in attendances at minor ailment treatment sessions for
schoolchildren led to infrequent use of the accommodation allocated for this service at
the Province of Natal centre. At the same time the Institute of Child Health was in need
of more space for its laboratories. The accommodation was therefore reallocated; the
portions of the second floor at the centre occupied by the Council were handed over to the
Institute and converted into additional laboratories.
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