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66
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNIZATION CLINIC
The Clinic for Immunization against Diphtheria was commenced
in Croydon in 1934, and a detailed account of the
working of the Clinic is contained in the 1935 and 1936 Reports.
Although there has been no departure in 1937 from the method
and routine that have proved themselves successful in previous
years, a brief recapitulation of the procedure adopted may not be
out of place.
Sessions were held at the Lodge Road and Selhurst Road
Clinics once weekly. At the former centre, owing to an increase
in the numbers on the waiting list, it was necessary, in the early
part of the year, and again in the later part, to hold an additional
session, and additional sessions were also held in two
schools, namely, Winterbourne Junior and Kingsley, where the
numbers desiring Immunization justified the holding of a special
session in the schools themselves.
Parents accompanying their children are told of the purpose
of the injections, and any information they may desire is given.
When a child has completed the course and has been found to be
immune by means of a posterior Schick Test, the mother is told
that, although the child is unlikely to contract diphtheria, and in
the event of this happening, still more unlikely to experience a
severe form of the disease, the possibilities cannot be absolutely
precluded. She is further advised that, as the immunity may
be gradually reduced or lost, it is a wise precaution to have the
child re-tested at intervals of two or three years.
As a general rule children of 5 years or over have been submitted
to a Schick Test to determine their state of immunity.
Children under 5 years are given their first injection of T.A.M.
without a preliminary test, as a higher proportion of children
under 5 years are found to be susceptible to diphtheria. This
is not a hard and fast rule, and if the mother specially requests,
or if there are exceptional circumstances, as in the case of a large
family, a preliminary or Anterior Schick Test is carried out.
The Immunizing agent employed has again been Toxoidantitoxin
mixture (T.A.M.) or Toxin-antitoxin floccules (T.A.F.)
1 c.c. given on three occasions with a fortnightly interval. Not
less than three months after the date of the last injection, a reSchick
or posterior Schick Test is performed.