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The Council first made arrangements for immunising Willesden children against diphtheria in May, 1927.
Immunisation was carried out at the Kilburn Health Centre and the Municipal Hospital. More recently, when the
number of applicants has been large enough, immunisation sessions have been arranged in the schools. Since
November, 1942, sessions have also been held regularly at each of the Council's Health Centres.
Pamphlets on diphtheria prevention and copies of the broadcast of the Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry
of Health have been distributed in considerable quantities and notices and articles have been put in the Press. The
most effective method, however, of ensuring the immunisation of the child population is the following :—
When the Health Visitors visit children aged 9 months or over under the Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme
they draw the attention of mothers to the facilities existing for immunisation against diphtheria in order that they
may think the matter over and have their children immunised at about 1 year of age if they so desire. The Health
Visitors have this question of diphtheria immunisation in mind at each subsequent visit until the child has been
immunised. They further endeavour to obtain the parents' consent to another single dose shortly before the child
reaches 5 years of age.
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Leaflets concerning diphtheria prevention with form on the back for parents' signature agreeing to have their
children immunised have been sent to head teachers for distribution to their scholars. A high percentage of these
forms are returned, duly signed, to the teachers. When immunisation sessions are held at the schools the mothers
frequently take the opportunity of bringing any younger children not yet immunised and getting all their family
dealt with at once.
There were 58 cases of Diphtheria in Willesden in 1946-and there was 1 death, in an unimmunised
child of 4 years.
Enteric Fever.—5 cases were notified in 1946.
Dysentery.—37 cases were notified as Dysentery in 1946.
Malaria.—6 cases were notified in 1946.
Infectious Diseases of the Central Nervous System.—Poliomyelitis and Polio-encephalitis, Cerebrospinal
Fever and Encephalitis Lethargica.—17 cases of these diseases were notified in 1946, as against 20 in 1945,
16 in 1944, 20 in 1943, 35 in 1942, 29 in 1941, 38 in 1940, 18 in 1939, 24 in 1938, 22 in 1937 and 14 in 1936.
2 proved fatal, giving a fatality rate of 12.0 per cent. of notified cases. 15 cases were notified as Cerebro-spinal Fever.
Of these 15 cases 13 proved to be Cerebro-spinal Fever and 1 was found in hospital to be suffering from Specific
Enteritis and 1 from Broncho-Pneumonia.
The ages of the 13 cases which proved to be Cerebro-spinal Fever were as follows :—
Under 1 year of age 0 Between 10 and 15 years of age 2
Between 1 and 2 years of age 0 ,, 15 ,, 20 ,, ,, 1
,, 2 ,, 3 3 ,, 20 ,, 35 ,, ,, 2
,, 3 ,, 4 ,, ,, 1 ,, 35 ,, 45 ,, ,, 0
,, 4 ,, 5 ,, ,,1 ,, 45 ,, 65 ,, ,, 0
,, 5 ,, 10 ,, ,, 3 65 years of age and over 0
The months in which the 13 cases occurred were as follows :—
January, 1946 6 May, 1946 1 September, 1946
February, 1946 2 June, 1946 October, 1946
March, 1946 July, 1946 November, 1946
April, 1946 August, 1946 December, 1946
1 of these 13 cases which proved to be Cerebro-spinal Fever died. This patient was aged 2 years.
In addition, one further death was recorded as Cerebo-spinal Fever. The patient was a child aged 22 months.
One case of Poliomyelitis was notified, aged 3 years, and was discharged from hospital well.
In addition, one death was recorded as Acute Poliomyelitis after post-mortem examination without inquest,
aged 35 years.
One case of Encephalitis Lethargica was notified, aged 2 years, and was found in hospital suffering from a
Post-Epileptic attack.
In addition, one death was recorded as Encephalitis Lethargica after post-mortem examination, aged 5 years.
Pneumonia and Influenza.—458 cases of Pneumonia were notified in 1946, as compared with 339 in 1945
and 283 in 1944. Deaths from Broncho-Pneumonia, Lobar Pneumonia and Pneumonia (unspecified) numbered
93, as compared with 114 in 1945, 86 in 1944 and 130 in 1943, and deaths from Influenza 16, as compared with 4 in
1945, 9 in 1944 and 30 in 1943.
Whooping Cough.—384 cases were notified in 1946, but a total of 565 cases coming to their knowledge
were visited by Health Visitors, 409 of which occurred in children under 5 years of age. There were 4 deaths
from Whooping Cough in 1946. 1 of the children who died was under 1 year of age, and 3 were between 1 and 5
years of age.
Measles.—817 cases were notified in 1946, but a total of 1,088 cases were visited by the Health Visitors,
685 of which occurred in children under 5 years of age. There was no death from Measles in 1946.