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to begin with, at Lodge Load Clinic, and one at Selhurst Road.
In view, however, of a sadden large increase in the waiting list—
from Thornton Heath and Norbury for the most part—one session
was temporarily transferred to the Winterbourne Road School.
As the demand in this area still exists on a scale unrivalled in any
other, this branch of the main Clinic was retained at the end of the
year.
During July and August, two weekly sessions only were held,
both at Lodge Road, but on the re-opening of Schools on 31st
August, the three sessions were continued as previously.
The following details give a summary of the attendance:—
Total attendances throughout the year 8,774
Total number of sessions held during the year 145
Highest attendance at any one session 94
Lowest attendance at any one session 18
Average attendance per session 60.5
During the year 2,167 children and 10 adults attended for treatment—see
Table I. While no parents or teachers have been offered
Immunisation, those asking for a Schick Test have had this carried
out, and, if found susceptible, have been immunised thereafter.
Of the children who attended, 1,620 were school children, a Table
showing their distribution throughout the Schools of the Borough
being incorporated in this report—Table IV. ; while 547 children,
under the age of 5 years and not yet attending School, came under
treatment. Many parents who had previously brought older children,
have returned with the latest toddler of their own accord, but
the number of children under 5 is still disappointingly small, even
in the Thornton Heath and Norbury area where there has been
most demand. It is definitely advantageous for a child to be protected
before reaching School age ; the opportunities of contact
with infection becomes greater then, and it is felt that if it were
Possible to immunise the greater proportion of pre-school children
and entrants in the infant departments of Elementary Schools,
Diphtheria would become of very minor importance as an infection
of School life.
Treatment Given at Clinic.
1,215 Primary Schick Tests were carried out (see Table II
while this test was dispensed with in the case of 446 younger
children. In all, 1,369 completed an immunising course of Toxoidantitoxin
mixture (T.A.M.), while 76 (adults and older children
underwent a similar series of injections of Toxoid-antitoxin
Floccules (T.A.F.), 4,003 injection of T.A.M., and 254 of T.A.F.
being given during the year.