View report page

55
Schick Testing and Immunization.
31 sessions were held during the year in four different centres
in the district. There were fewer new cases dealt with than in
the previous vear, hut a certain amount of re-testing of those who
had received three doses was carried out. The average attendance
per session was 123.
Schick reactions were read one week alter the test. 1 he
spacing between the doses had been extended to fortnightly
intervals. More recently, in view of the recommendations of the
Conference of the Health Organisation of the League of Nations
on Immunization against Diphtheria, the interval between the
first two doses is now three weeks and mostly the same interval
separates the second and third doses.
The following is a summary of the work carried out during
the year:—
No. Immunized without preliminary testing 233
No. Schick Tested 621
Of these 233 were negative.
Of the Schick-positives, no. who received 3 doses 353
No. of Re-Schick Tests 634
Of these 502 were negative.
Of the Schick-positives, no. who received 3 doses 112
The following notes relate to the only cases this year in which
diphtheria occurred in a child who had received three doses of
toxoid anti-toxin. In June, a boy aged 7 contracted diphtheria.
When tested on 4/6/31, he was Schick-positive and received 1 c.c.
toxoid anti-toxin on 11/6/31, 17/7/31 and 24/7/31. When reSchicked
on 1/6/32, he gave a positive reaction, and 8/6/32 received
a further 1 c.c. of toxoid anti-toxin. The onset of his illness
was 15/6/32. Another boy of 5 years of age received three 1 c.c.
doses at weekly intervals in February. Following his admission to
hospital in October on account of scarlet fever, he succumbed to
a very sharp attack of diphtheria. His Schick reaction tested
in January of this year was faintly positive. A girl of 5 after
two doses contracted dinhtheria.