London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Dagenham 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
This page requires JavaScript
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Vaccination against Smallpox
During the year 1,497 persons were vaccinated or re-vaccinated by general practitioners and local health authority medical officers.
| Age at date of vaccination or re-vaccination | Vaccinated | Re-vaccinated | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.P.'s | L.H.A. | G.P.'s | L.H.A. | |
| Under 1 year | 296 | 666 | - | - |
| 1—4 years | 59 | 39 | 13 | 1 |
| 5—14 | 61 | 79 | 12 | 1 |
| 15 years and over | 75 | 3 | 150 | 42 |
| Total all ages | 491 | 787 | 175 | 44 |
Whooping Cough
1,328 children received immunising doses against whooping cough, including booster doses.
| Primary | Boosters | Combined Whooping Cough and Diphtheria Vaccine | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.P.'s | L.H.A. | G.P.'s | L.H.A. | G.P.'s | L.H.A. |
| 264 | 769 | 32 | 2 | 261 | — |
In the past few years the programme of whooping cough immunisation of the
3 — 4 year age group with a booster dose has been sadly neglected throughout the country,
and no less in Dagenham than elsewhere.
The reason for this lack of interest in maintaining the immunity conferred in infancy
may be partly due to the diminution in the numbers of 3 — 5 year age group attending
the infant welfare clinics, or to the more insistent demands of the poliomyelitis immunisation
programme.
B.C.G.
B.C.G. vaccination has continued in the 13-plus age group; this year 1,900 children
were offered vaccination. 938 children were tested after the parents' consent had been
received.
Results of the Multiple Puncture tests:—
Negative 882 Positive 56
Of the children with negative reactions (and therefore susceptible) 787 received
B.C.G. vaccination. There were no cases of post-vaccination complications.
Tuberculosis Vaccines Clinical Trial
Of the 477 young people invited for their sixth annual x-ray, 206 attended, i.e., 43%
and of these 57% completed the skin tests. In addition, of the 180 who defaulted on
the previous occasion, 35 came along this time.
51