View report page

16
Diphtheria immunisation
Immunisation was carried out along the lines indicated in
previous reports, the following routine being practised: —
(1) A notice was sent to the parent of each 9 months' old child.
(2) All infant Welfare attenders were approached.
(3) All children admitted to Day Nurseries were offered protection.
(4) Health Visitors combed their districts for children who
did not attend Welfares, and urged their protection.
(5) Head Teachers gave forms of consent to new school
entrants.
(6) Prior to school medical inspections, questionnaires were
sent to each parent asking, inter alia, whether the child
had been inoculated. If the answer was in the negative
a form of consent was sent to the parent.
All immunised cases were followed up and, at the end of three
years, each child was offered a boost dose. At the age of 11 years or
over, this was preceded by a Schick test.
All children under 5 who had not had the disease, were inoculated
against Whooping Cough at the same time as they were
inoculated against Diphtheria, i.e. they had three doses of protective
material at monthly intervals.
60.6% of the population under 5 years of age is now protected,
and 85.7% of the population aged 5 to 14.
Diphtheria and immunisation, 1950
Total number of under 5's inoculated 674
Total number of overs 5's inoculated 139
Re-inoculations after 3 years 980
Schick tests after 3 years—negative 304
positive 82
Primary Schick test —negative 6
positive 11