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Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis.
No cases of poliomyelitis were notified in
Friern Barnet during 1958. This is, of course,
extremely satisfactory, although it must be remembered
that the drop in poliomyelitis cases which was such
a welcome feature of 1958, was nation-wide.
I have reported to the Public Health Committee
from time to time on the scheme of vaccination
against poliomyelitis which is now in force within
the Urban District as part of the County Council's
immunisation and vaccination programme. This
scheme operated with remarkable smoothness during the
year. It is not possible in this report to detail
the number of Friern Barnet children who have been
given either one, two or three injections against
poliomyelitis, as these figures are not yet available.
As soon as the numbers have been tabulated, howeve" ,
I will report the year's totals to the Public Health
Committee. At the moment, it can be said that the
percentage of children up to the age of 15 who have
been vaccinated against poliomyelitis is most gratifying
and must be one of the best reported in the County.
This again is a tribute to the foresight of parents,
who have not hesitated to take advantage of the
facilities provided. The response to the offer of
vaccination against poliomyelitis among the 15 - 26
age group was not so high, although here again our
preliminary survey tends to show that the rate was
and still is considerably higher than that reported
from the country as a whole.
We all know that the policy of vaccination
against poliomyelitis has been altered from time to
time, and that it has not yet been entirely stabilised.
Many people feel, for instance, that a fourth inoculation
will be required before full protection can be
guaranteed. It is certianly known that the third
injection is vital; that without the third injection,
given after a minimum of seven months following the
second injection, no one is fully protected. In
view of the changing picture, I intend to keep the
Public Health Committee fully informed of variations
in policy and progress made.
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