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In October, 1950, application was made for a supply of vaccine
with which to protect two Leyton infants whose mothers were
suffering from active pulmonary tuberculosis, but the application
was declined as it was not for use by a Chest Physician. Subsequently
the local Chest Physician indicated that he was not prepared to
undertake B.C.G. vaccination, and application was made to the
Ministry of Health for approval of such vaccination being carried
out in Leyton by Dr. Ethel Emslie, Assistant County Medical
Officer of Health. Thereafter much inconvenience and delay was
caused by the necessity of referring to the Hospital for Sick Children,
Great Ormond Street, such Leyton children as were recommended
for vaccination.
It was not until April, 1952, that the approval of the Ministry
of Health was received for Dr. Emslie to carry out B.C.G. vaccination
in Leyton. Thereafter arrangements were made for her to
undertake—at the Health Services Clinic, Dawlish Road—the
preliminary testing of susceptibility of all Leyton contacts of
tuberculosis under school-leaving age, the immunisation by B.C.G.
vaccine of those found to be susceptible, and the subsequent
follow-up and testing of immunised contacts.
Leyton Cases—Extract from Report by Dr. Emslie.
Before my final approval by the Ministry of Health in April.
1952, I was able to arrange for some 31 children to receive B.C.G.
vaccination on our behalf at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Most of the preliminary and final skin testing were carried out
by me in Dawlish Road Clinic. In all these cases the results of
conversion of susceptibility were satisfactory and there were no
complications. In addition, arrangements were made for a number
of infants of mothers in attendance at the Ante-natal Clinic to
receive B.C.G. vaccination at the Mothers' Hospital, Clapton or at
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hackney.
From June until the end of December, 1952, some 51 Leyton
children were vaccinated by me with B.C.G.—12 were under one
year of age, 14 from one to five years, and 25 over five years.
All these cases were satisfactorily converted to Mantoux positive.
There were no complications and no case has given any cause for
anxiety. No child was vaccinated within at least six weeks of contact
with an active case of tuberculosis. In most cases the contacts were
quiescent and sputum negative, but even in these cases extreme
care was advised until the tuberculin test was converted—indeed
all the time, as protection is not absolute.