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16
Diphtheria Immunisation.
Immunisation was practised as before and every effort was
made to induce parents to have their children protected. The
following means were employed to contact all children under 14;
(a) At the age of 6 months, a notice is sent to the parents of
every child whose birth was notified to the Public Health department.
(b) The parents of all children attending Welfare Centres are
approached.
(c) All children admitted to Day Nurseries are offered protection.
(d) Health Visitors, calling at the homes of children who do
not attend the Welfare Centres, advise the parents.
(e) New school entrants are given consent forms by the Head
Teacher.
(f) Prior to each schooi medical inspection, a questionnaire is
sent to each parent. One of the questions asks 'Has your child
been immunised against Diphtheria ?' If the answer is in the negative,
a form of consent with advice re time and place for inoculation,
is sent.
All immunised cases are followed up, and a single injection is
offered at the end of every three years in order to refresh the child's
waning immunity. After the age of 11 years, this is preceded by a
Schick test.
For children under 5, if they have not had the disease,
immunisation against Whooping Cough is combined with the
Diphtheria injection. Good results appear to be obtained, injections
do not always prevent the infection, but the severity of the
illness is modified.
During the year, 19 cases of Diphtheria were notified, and of
these in 13 cases only was the diagnosis substantiated. 2 of these
cases were adults, 9 school children, and 2 were children under
school age. Neither of the children under school age had been
immunised. Of the 9 school children 4 had been immunised, 2 in
1942, 1 in 1935 (called up for Schick test 3 years after immunisation
but did not attend), 1 in 1937 (also called up for Schick test 3 years
after immunisation but did not attend). There were no deaths from
Diphtheria in 1944.
Total number of Under Fives inoculated 449
,, ,, „ Over Fives inoculated 91
Re-inoculations after 3 years 153
Schick tests after 3 years: Negative 106
Positive 15
Primary Schick tests: Negative 16
Positive 31