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Diphtheria
There were no cases of Diphtheria in 1961.

In addition, 45 children were immunised by General Practitioners and 8 by
Medical Officers of the Local Health Authority, with a combined diphtheria and
whooping cough prophylactic.
One thousand one hundred and six children were given "booster" doses of
diphtheria prophylactic alone and 59 were given "booster" doses of combined
diphtheria and whooping cough prophylactic.
Scarlet Fever
There were 18 cases of Scarlet Fever, one less than in the previous year. The
known cases were mild in character and there is little doubt that in a number of others
the illness was so slight as to escape detection altogether. There were no deaths.
Poliomyelitis
No case of Poliomyelitis occurred during the year.
Early in 1960 it was decided to extend poliomyelitis vaccination to persons under
the age of 40. Hitherto vaccination could only be obtained by persons under the age
of 26 and certain special groups such as Health Visitors and Public Health Inspectors.
In 1961 arrangements for poliomyelitis vaccination were extended to include a reinforcing
fourth dose; Ministry of Health Circular No. 15/61 asked specifically for
arrangements to be made to offer such a dose to children when they enter school
(normally at the age of 5), to children of 5 and over already at school who have not
reached the age of 12 and to all children of similar ages who are not attending school.
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