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By the end of the year, all those who had been treated in 1956 and in
1957 and who wished still to be treated at the clinics were given appointments
for their third doses, as were also most of those who had received
their second doses not later than April, 1958. At the same time, the cards
of all those in the same groups who wished to be treated by their own
doctors had been sent to the various general medical practitioners.
Only relatively small numbers of those in the extended age range to
twenty-six have registered for treatment at the clinics. Those who elected
to and who could be done in time received their first doses before the end
of the year.
The following is a summary of the work done during the year: Two
inoculations had been given to 24,766 children born in the years 1943-1958,
837 to young persons born in the years 1933-1942, 951 expectant mothers,
93 general medical practitioners and their families, 15 ambulance staff and
8 hospital staff.
Third injections were given to 4,038 persons.
421 persons had received only their first injections by the end of the
year.
Protection of Susceptible Contacts. Limited supplies of gamma
globulin are held at the Colindale Laboratory for administration to (1)
Nurses and medical students who are to be closely associated with the
care of early cases and who so far as is known, have not been in contact
with the infection previously; (2) Babies in a hospital or maternity home
exposed to infection soon after birth; (3) Children in a hospital ward in
which a case develops, especially children who have recently undergone
tonsillectomy.
MEASLES
Measles was present to a greater or less extent throughout the whole
year, there being only one week when no cases were notified. The average
of 7 cases a week for the first quarter rose to a long low wave from June
to early August, resulting in a weekly notification rate of 14 in the second
quarter and 19 in the third. Notifications rose from early October, not
steadily but erratically, with the highest figure of 118 in the week ending
13th December, the average weekly notifications for the last quarter being
59. This rise as a prelude to an outbreak in the following year started
earlier than usual. Altogether 1,336 cases were notified. The prevailing
pattern was mild and only 13 patients were removed to hospital. The only
fatality was that of a boy of eight who suffered from mongolism and
congenital defect of the heart.
The passage of this complaint through the district is indicated by its
incidence in the various schools. In the Spring term only the infants
department of Stag Lane school was affected to any extent; in the
Summer term Belmont, Harrow Weald and Stanburn. All these schools
were free in the Autumn term when first Bridge and Roxeth and Roxeth
Grange were affected and then later in the term Greenhill, Vaughan Road,
Welldon Park, Roxeth Manor and Cannon Lane schools which had not
been affected in the earlier term.