View report page

4
IMMUNISATION.
The number of children protected against
Diphtheria has again shown an increase, but
there is a slight falling-off in those who have been submitted to reinforcing
doses. Although we are now happily almost free from this
dangerous disease it is safe to prophesy that a relaxation in our efforts
would almost certainly result in its reappearance as a public health
hazard.
Whooping Cough immunization was made available to Dagenham
children in 1946, and to those of the County as a whole in April,
1953. There is still much room for improvement in the efficacy
of the vaccines at present at our disposal, but there is evidence that
both the severity and duration of the illness are lessened. The
incidence however appears to be little affected. Our experience in
1953 adds weight to this argument although the numbers treated up
to date are too small to prove this thesis.
TUBERCULOSIS.
The Chest Clinic at King George Hospital
Out-Patient Department, Five Elms, is now
well established and fully equipped. It serves a very useful purpose
and is easily accessible from most parts of the Borough. The treatment
of tuberculosis is a function of the Regional Hospital Board but
the prevention remains with the Local Health and Local Sanitary
Authorities. This splitting of responsibility may appear to be
somewhat untidy administration and doubtless in some areas it has
led to confusion and misdirection of effort. We are fortunate here,
however, in having good liaison and cordial relationship between the
members of the respective authorities and the officers concerned.
As an illustration it may be mentioned that the Chairman of the Health
Area Sub-Committee and of the Public Health Committee is also a
member of the Hospital Management Committee and is Chairman of
the Tuberculosis Care Association.
A register of all contacts of tuberculosis is kept in the Health
Area Office and these persons are urged at appropriate intervals to
present themselves to the Chest Physician for examination. Great
advances have been made in diagnostic and treatment methods of
recent years. Looking back I find that for the years 1939 to 1945
there was an average of 59 deaths from respiratory tuberculosis per
annum, the average from 1946 to 1950 was 46, in 1951 there were
24 and 26 in the year under review.
The work of the domiciliary occupational therapist is most
valuable and much appreciated. This lady devotes three days a week
to Dagenham and two to Barking. Apart from relieving or dispelling
the inevitable boredom of being housebound or bedridden, most of the
patients readily acquire under tuition a high degree of skill in the
handicraft which they pursue. At the time of writing there are
approximately 25 Dagenham patients on the live register of the
occupational therapist.