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
Ealing 1947
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
This page requires JavaScript
The following table shows the number of children immunized each year from 1935 (including those known to have been dealt with by private practitioners), the number of notified cases of diphtheria and the number of deaths.
| Number of children immunized | No. of notified cases of diphtheria | Number of deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 326 | 228 | 15 |
| 1936 | 490 | 52 | 8 |
| 1937 | 709 | 123 | 2 |
| 1938 | 948 | 142 | 6 |
| 1939 | 671 | 92 | 4 |
| 1940 | 701 | 33 | 4 |
| 1941 | 6,433 | 48 | 4 |
| 1942 | 7,037 | 28 | 5 |
| 1943 | 3,574 | 13 | — |
| 1944 | 2,232 | 17 | 1 |
| 1945 | 3,030 | 14 | 1 |
| 1946 | 2,641 | 29 | — |
| 1947 | 2,772 | 11 | 1 |
The results are so striking, there has been so great a reduction
in the number of cases of diphtheria and in the number of deaths,
that there can be no doubt whatever as to the value of this work.
In the autumn of the year under review, protection against
both diphtheria and whooping cough was offered by means of
one series of injections, three doses of a combined vaccine being
given at monthly intervals. It is hoped that the same satisfactory
results will be forthcoming with regard to whooping cough as with
diphtheria and the importance of every parent appreciating the
value of immunization cannot be over emphasized.
The actual work involved in the immunization scheme is
performed by the personnel of the School Health Service, who
deal with both school children and children under school age,
with the exception of those attending the Council's Day Nurseries.
The children at the nurseries are immunized on the occasion of
the routine visits made by Medical Offirprs
The following table shows the work carried out during the Year under review:
| Children under 5 years immunized against diphtheria | 2,497 |
| Children of school age immunized against diphtheria | 273 |
| Children given a secondary or reinforcing injection against diphtheria | 1,563 |
| Children under 5 years immunized against whooping cough | 231 |
| Children of school age immunized against whooping cough | 12 |
It must be pointed out that the numbers immunized against
whooping cough give no idea of the lively response of the parents
to this new. scheme. The course of injections is spread over twelve
weeks and the scheme did not start until the autumn. At the
end of the year 1,380 children in addition to those entered in the
above table, had commenced a course of injections.