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pulsory, but during this century, in this Country increasing advantage
was taken of the ways in which this requirement could be
avoided, with the result that only about a third of the population
was being vaccinated.
Under the National Health Service Act, 1946, vaccination
against smallpox was left to voluntary acceptance, and for the last
five years at least 60% of the babies in this Division have been
vaccinated. In 1956 there were 282 primary vaccinations carried
out in the Welfare Centres and 401 (including 39 of 15 years and
over) by General Practitioners who also revaccinated 38 children
under 15 years and 113 persons over 15 years. (The above figures
include the primary vaccination of 521 babies under 1 year of age).
ENTERIC, CHOLERA AND YELLOW FEVER.
Immunisation against typhoid and paratyphoid was introduced
successfully during the Boer War and has been used since, with
the addition of vaccination against cholera and yellow fever when
considered desirable, for the protection of troops and others proceeding
abroad, the nature of the vaccine depending upon the
Countries to be visited.
Reference was made earlier to the desirability of certain of
these forms of immunisation being more generally obtained by
holiday makers going abroad. Private doctors will advise on how
and where they can be secured.
DIPHTHERIA.
The situation with regard to this serious disease has completely
changed since the national campaign to encourage immunisation
against it began in 1941. No cases have occurred in this District
for the last 10 years and it appears that the germ is rarely present
in the throat of any resident. As natural immunity cannot, therefore,
develop as a result of minute doses being picked up casually,
it is all the more important that we should maintain an artificially
produced immunity, especially among children.
During 1956, the Authority arranged for 336 children to
receive primary immunisation against diphtheria at Welfare
Centres, Clinics and Day Nurseries and similarly treated 24 at their
schools. They also arranged for 695 to get 'booster' doses (including
548 in the schools). In addition, private doctors gave 377
primary treatment and 469 'boosters'. The total receiving primary
treatment was thus 63 less than in 1955, but 121 more had a
'booster' dose.
WHOOPING COUGH.
This form of immunisation was only officially adopted in 1952
and its effectiveness in preventing the occurence of the disease is
not yet of as high a standard as is that against diphtheria. There
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