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54
of course been met, but the opposition has been due to some misundrstanding
as to the object of the process, and also to a want
of appreciation of the seriousness of the disease. Diphtheria has
for some time been mild in character, and the fathers in particular
have not been very helpful. The opposition of the fathers has
arisen in many instances from their experience of inoculations in
the army. Many of them state that unfavourable symptoms
followed their inoculation for Typhoid and vaccination for SmallPox.
The mothers, on the other hand, have seen for themselves
the freedom from pain at the inoculatoin and the subsequent
absence of reaction. Many mothers have come to us to complain
that their children could not possibly have been inoculated, because
the children have not felt the prick of the needle, nor was there
the slightest mark or reaction following the inoculation. It is not
claimed, of course, that there is no reaction in any case. A slight
redness of the arm does occasionally result and rarely a local reactions
may persist for a day or two. But in the vast majority of cases
there is not the slightest local or constitutional reaction. The
mothers are also more familiar with the facts connected with cases
of Diphtheria which have occurred in their neighbour's homes and
that the cases have occurred with a persistent regularity amonges
those children whose parents had refused immunisation. The
fathers, being at work, would not be so cognisant of these facts
and possibly not so appreciative of any new procedure in the prevention
of the disease.
Naturally, some people confuse immunisation with vaccination
against Small-Pox. One parent refused because she said that
her neighbour's child had been vaccinated but in spite of this, had
contracted Measles, Whooping Cough and Scarlet Fever. Many
people do not appreciate that immunisation is against one particular
disease, and that it has no effect upon any other disease.
Tuberculosis.
96 cases of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and 18 cases of other
froms of Tuberculosis were notified during the year.
There were 48 deaths from Pulmonary Tuberculosis and at
deaths from other forms of Tuberculosis.