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Bromley, but there is certainly a lessening in tlie
Mortality Rate. Whether this is due to a lessening
in the virulence of the Diphtheria germ, or to the more
adequate treatment that is made available, is an open question.
Occasionally one does meet with the acute fulminating
Diphtheria case, so common prior to Antitoxin days,
which rather indicates that the decline in the Mortality
Rate is due to the increased effectiveness of early treatment.
There are three preventable factors playing a part in the
Mortality Rate; the first is the delay of the parent in calling
medical aid early in sore throats; the second is the delay
caused by awaiting the results of swabbing before giving
a diagnosis, and the third is the delay in the administration
of Antitoxin caused by the failure of diagnosis. Antitoxin
is on free issue by the Department, swabs are tested locally,
and every facility is given in order that these delays may
not occur. It should be the universal practice to give
Antitoxin where doubt exists, and not to depend upon the
hospital admission for this treatment.
Diphtheria Immunisation.
An Immunising Clinic has now been in operation for
two years, and is held weekly at the School Clinic, Station
Road.
It is our aim to immunise all susceptible children before
admission to school, for the age incidence proves that
it is in the school age period that the cases are chiefly
prevalent. The response of the parents to this Clinic is
good, but does not yet reach the desired aim.
One finds that the desire for immunisation increases
with the prevalence of Diphtheria in the district, but it
must not be forgotten that it takes some three months to
successfully immunise a child, so that at the time of epidemics,
it is of little use to commence immunisation.
One hundred and fifty children attended the Clinic
during 1930, and of these 112 completed their treatment.
Children under five years of age are not previously Schick
tested, but the immunisation is commenced at their first
attendance. Toxoid Antitoxin mixture is used—three injections
being given at weekly intervals, and the final
Schick test is given at the end of three months. The