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70
DIPHTHERIA.
During 1937 there were 43 cases of Diphtheria notified in
school children. This is a considerable increase on the number of
cases notified in 1936. It was only to be expected as a result of
the waning interest shown by parents in protecting their children
against Diphtheria which was commented on in the Annual Report
for 1936. It is much to be regretted that the comparative safety
of the Borough from Diphtheria, which is the result of much hard
work and persistent endeavour, should lead only to a disbelief in
or contempt for the ravages of Diphtheria amongst the young.
This increase in cases in 1937 over 1936 has, however, had
a slight effect on the percentages of children inoculated at the
schools. As compared with 1936, in all but three of our schools the
percentages of children in the Infant departments who have been
inoculated have gone up. These percentages are by no means as
high nor as satisfactory as could be wished, and the lowest per
centage of all comes from the school which serves the poorest and
most crowded part of the Borough.
At medical inspections in Infant departments during the past
year, enquiries have invariably been made of parents as to whether
their children have been protected against Diphtheria, and if not
why not. Various answers are received, but the two most frequent
replies are—1: The child's father doesn't believe in it, and 2: It
the child is meant to have Diphtheria, it will have Diphtheria and
nothing can prevent it No amount of explaining or reasoning can
break through these barriers of ignorance and prejudice, and it has
been noticed that where promises have been obtained for the children
to come to the inoculation clinic at Avenue Road on Saturday
mornings, these promises have not been kept and the children have
not turned up. The promises were evidently only made to stop
our enquiries and keep us quiet.
Our inoculation scheme has been carried along the same lines
as last year. All children are approached and offered inoculation
and this is carried out by two or three injections, depending on the
material used for the purpose. At the end of 6 months. These
children are Schick tested. The Schick test has not been found to
be a reliable index of insusceptibility to Diphtheria, but it is the
only one at our disposal and so we use it. Any child found not to