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62
Vaccination Against Poliomyelitis.— As was reported last year, with
the use of imported vaccine to supplement the limited supplies of British
vaccine being received, in 1958 it was possible greatly to accelerate the programme
of vaccination of the eligible groups, i.e. children born in the years
1943 to 1958 (provided babies had reached the age of six months), expectant
mothers, and general practitioners and ambulance staff and their families.
In the autumn the scheme was further extended by the Minister of Health to
include all persons born in the years 1933 to 1942 and hospital and nursing
home staffs and their families; it was also then decided that a third injection,
or " booster should be given not less than seven months after the second
of the two injections now regarded as the primary course. Although publicity
was given to the extension, registration of the " young adult" group
(those born in 1933 to 1942) was very slow to begin with, the percentage
registered at the end of the year being negligible. The situation has, however,
altered considerably during 1959 and at the time of writing this report
some 30 per cent of the age group 16 to 25 years have been vaccinated.
The general practitioners have continued to play an important part in
this scheme and most of those practising in the area are now participating.
The arrangements continue whereby the vaccine, as each batch is received,
is allocated between the clinics and the doctors participating in proportion
to the number of registrations held and the position has now been reached
that we are able to obtain each month the amount of vaccine requisitioned
early in the previous month.
The statistics given below show the vaccinations carried out at the
clinics in 1958 and the record cards received from general practitioners
during that year in respect of completed primary courses and " boosters"
carried out by them. Again in 1958, as in the previous year, many of the
sessions at the Mayesbrook and Newbury Hall Clinics were combined with
school clinics and at Manford Way Clinic with the infant welfare centre;
sessions were also combined with the infant welfare centre at Marks Gate

Record cards received from general practitioners :—
Completed primary courses (two injections) 9,519
Third injections ("boosters") given 1,514
At the 31st December, 1958, a total of 22,086 primary courses had been
completed in Ilford (21,301 children under 16 years, 24 persons aged 16 to
25 years, 675 expectant mothers and 86 general practitioners, ambulance
staff, etc.).