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Antitoxin.—A supply of Diphtheria Antitoxin is kept at the Town Hall, the
Plumstead Library and the Eltham Library, and is available for medical practitioners
on application, at cost price, or free, where there is inability to pay. The amount
supplied during the year was 52,000 units. The total cost to the Council
was £2 10s. 0d., all of which was recovered.
Immunisation.—In 1934, the Council, with the co-operation of the local medical
profession started a scheme for the immunisation of children against diphtheria.
The scheme is one in which immunisation is carried out by general practitioners
and it was set out in full in my Annual Report for 1934. Slight modifications which
are referred to in my Annual Report for 1935 were made during that year.
During 1936, 676 children were immunised and a further 48 were found not to
require immunisation. Since the scheme started in November, 1934, 1,811 children
in all have been immunised.
In order to ascertain whether a child is susceptible to diphtheria or not, use is
made of the Schick test. This may be done before immunisation ; but it must be
carried out after immunisation in order to ascertain whether the desired result has
been obtained. Schick testing clinics have been held periodically as often as was
necessary. The figures for the year follow. Before a course of immunisation, 130
children were found to be Schick positive and 48 Schick negative ; after immunisation,
including children immunised in 1935, 510 were found to be negative and 24
positive ; 12 children failed to attend. The remaining children were waiting until
the requisite time had passed to enable immunity to be developed.
The total amount of fees paid to general practioners for immunisation during
the year was £327 17s. 6d. The other costs amounted to £66 1s. 7d.
Scarlet Fever.
Notification.—During the year 609 cases were notified compared with 634
in 1935 and 989 in 1934. There were 18 military cases. The number of notifications
received each quarter was as follows :—
First quarter 182 Second quarter 144
Third quarter 125 Fourth quarter 158
Multiple Cases.—The following Table No. 45 shows the house distribution by
wards. The term " house " is synonymous with the term " family " except in five
instances where two families were involved.