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18
The personal approach remains the most important method
of reaching the public but it is powerfully backed by local and
national poster and press campaigns.
(Under the provisions of the National Health Service Act,
the local Health Authority, i.e., Middlesex County Council, is
responsible for ensuring that immunisation facilities are available).
During the year, 1834 children were immunised at the infant
welfare clinics and 612 by their family practitioners, a total of
2,446. This compares with 2,660 children who reached the age of
1 year in 1950.
Of the children born in 1945,
By the end of 1946 1,684 had been immunised i.e. 69.2%
By the end of 1947 2,085 ,, ,, ,, i.e. 78.4%
By the end of 1948 2,217 „ „ „ i.e. 83.4%
1949 (i.e. school entrance age) 2,261 had been
immunised i.e. 85%
During 1950 in the schools 1,155 "booster doses" were given
of which approximately 80% were given to 5—7 years of age
group.
An attempt has been made to impress upon parents the
importance of boosting doses on entering school life and a substantial
increase in next year's figures is to be looked for.
The combined diphtheria-pertussis antigen is the type most
widely used in the Borough.
Enteric Fever.
Two cases of typhoid fever and 2 cases of paratyphoid were
diagnosed during the year.
The first case of Typhoid Fever, a girl of 8 years, was diagnosed
at Central Middlesex Hospital. Enquiries elicited that a person
lodging in the same house was suspected of being a typhoid carrier.
Subsequent examination of this person revealed her to be a carrier
and undoubtedly the source of infection.
No other cases occurred in the house or among the various
people associated with the family. The carrier is still being kept
under careful surveillance at another address.
The second case, a boy of 1½ years, was admitted to Clayponds
Hospital on the 11th September, and there diagnosed. On the
4th October the child was removed home by the parents against
medical advice, but subsequently cleared up with treatment from
his own doctor. Specimens taken from the rest of the family
showed his mother to be a carrier and she too is still kept under
regular observation.