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Advantages of Oral Poliomyelitis Vaccine.
1. Oral poliomyelitis vaccine confers immunity more rapidly.
2. It is much easier to administer—it is simply swallowed.
3. It confers a broader immunity. In addition to stimulating
tion of antibodies, it also creates a barrier to infection by its
action in the gut.
4. It confers a more enduring immunity.
5. It can limit the spread of infection and thereby control epidemics.
It limits the spread of infection because a vaccinated person
cannot harbour virulent virus in the gut.
Oral (Sabin) vaccine is the vaccine used in the County Council
clinics for routine vaccination against poliomyelitis.
Chiropody.
In addition to the facilities for chiropody available from chiropodists
in private practice, and also provided by some of the voluntary societies,
the arrangements started in 1960 by the County Council to provide foot
treatment for certain priority groups, continued during the year. Since
the inauguration of the scheme the following have applied for treatment:—
Old aged persons 591 402 receiving treatment
Physically handicapped 13 13 „
Other 12 11 „
Nursing mothers 1 1 „
Waiting list—70 old aged persons.
Twelve sessions are held each week and in order to try and serve the
needs of as wide an area as possible, these sessions are held at various
clinics throughout the district. The limiting factor to any extension o
this service is the shortage of chiropodists.
Domestic Help.
Essentially set up as an emergency service for providing domestic
help for households faced with some sudden medical crisis, this service is
mainly concerned now with providing help to the aged and those suffering
from some longstanding illness. Shortage of staff, together with difficulties
in recruitment has necessitated the need for a very careful assessment of
help granted in individual cases, and also the institution of a scheme of
priorities with cases of home confinements and acute illness of a mother
with a young family high on the list. By careful budgeting the Home Help
Organiser and her Deputy, although not being able to give the full quota
of help asked for in all cases, at least try to supply some degree of help
each week to each case. The average number of home helps employed
was 2 full-time and 81 part-time, being an equivalent of 51 full-time home
helps. Assistance was given as follows during the year:—