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immunisation by immunisation against diphtheria
and vaccination against pertussis (whooping cough)
separately.
It must be admitted that our new system calls for
more visits to clinics or to private doctors by mothers
who wish their infants protected against diphtheria
and pertussis (whooping cough), as well as being
vaccinated against smallpox. We are keeping very
careful records, but it is, of course, not yet possible
to evaluate the full impact which the change-over from
combined inoculations to separate inoculations has had
or is likely to have. We believe, however, that
mothers are, in fact, accepting the advice given at
clinics to the effect that one or two additional visits
are much more than compensated for by the very full
measure of protection thereby conferred upon their
children.
In this connection, the Council will be interested
to know that very careful records kept in the Area
Health Office show that 85% of Friern Barnet children who
had reached the age of two years by the end of 1955
had been immunised against diphtheria. The last
figures available at the end of 1957 show that this
percentage had risen to the very satisfactory level
of 89%. However satiafactory this percentage may
be, we must Obviously do our utmost to ensure that the
level is at least maintained .if not definitely raised.
When vaccination against poliomyelitis assumes the
proportions which immunisation against diphtheria has
now reached we hope that it will be safe once more to
resume protection against diphtheria and pertussis
(whooping cough) by the combined method. Indeed,
one might even hope that a triple or even quadruple
antigen will eventually be available, an antigen which
would afford protection against diphtheria, pertussis
(whooping cough), poliomyelitis and possibly tetanus,
in a single series of inoculations.
In 1957 a very careful time-table was drawn up in
the Area Health Office in order that we might offer
immunisation and vaccination to mothers at properly
spaced intervals. I am pleased to say that this
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