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74
these cases, is sufficient in itself to stir up the blood immunity and
to render the person again Schick negative, but it was decided to
uive each child another injection and so make assurance doubly
sure. This has been done. The work is still proceeding and so
these children's protection is being continued together with the
fresh relays of children who are being immunised.
In this connection it may here be mentioned that the Schick
test as used hitherto is not an infallible guide to the protection of
the individual. It is not unknown that Diphtheria, true in a mild
and uncomplicated form, has attacked an immunised person, and
it is equally true that in a natural Schick negative reactor the disease
has been found.
There is now being offered for use therefore, a stronger
Schick toxin which it is hoped will pick out these persons who
must have developed only a threshold immunity. This toxin,
used in conjunction with the ordinary Schick toxin, picks out a
greatly increased percentage of positive reactors and these will be
given additional doses of protective material until they are Schick
negative to the stronger toxin. It is too soon to give figures
or results of the work done, and time alone will show whether the
use of this stronger toxin will eliminate all danger of an immunised
person developing Diphtheria, however mild the attack.
There were 46 cases of Diphtheria in our schools in 1935,
as against 58 in 1934. Of these, nearly 50% occurred in one school,
and on swabbing the contacts, three Diphtheria carriers were isolated
and treated, when the outbreak ceased. The schools affected
were as follows:—
Acton Wells 3 Priory 7
Beaumont Park 1 Roman Catholic 1
Berrymede 5 Central —
Derwentwater 22 Rothschild —
John Perrvn 7 Southfield —
It will be noted that 3 schools were entirely free from Diphtheria
for the whole year.
41 Diphtheria patients and 88 contacts were seen at the Office
before they returned to school.