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39
Diphtheria Immunisation.—Immunisation was carried out
at the weekly clinic on Tuesdays at 3 p.m., and at Infants' Departments,
along the lines detailed in the 1935 report. The following
summarises the whole of the work done:—
Schick tested for first time 222
Negative (including pseudo and negative) 87
Positive (including pseudo and positive) 135
Immunised after positive Schick (14 refusals) 121
Immunised without being Schick tested 1,664
Partly immunised cases brought forward from 1935 184
Total number given one or more immunising doses during
1936 1,969
Results of Schick tests following immunisation:—
Negative (including 184 from 1935) 1,186
Awaiting final Schick test 721
Not completing immunisation course 62
Total 1,969
Number of children of school age, immunisation completed
699
Number of others, immunisation completed (mostly of
pre-school age) 303
Number of 1935 cases completed 184
Total 1,186
Diphtheria Immunisation at Schools.—The scheme of
diphtheria immunisation began at Infants' Departments (and
described in the 1935 report) was continued during 1936. The
remaining 15 schools were visited, and out of 3,072 children in
average attendance at the dates of the visits the parents of 1,332
children, or 43.4 per cent., agreed to their children being protected.
The maximum percentage acceptance was 53.4, and the minimum
26.7.
In addition, 3 other schools were visited, at which there were
a considerable number of children under 8 years of age.
A total of 1,612 children (1,410 of school age and 202 of
pre-school age) were given a single dose of 0.5 c.c. alum precipitated
toxoid (A.P.T.) intramuscularly.
This procedure occupied a weekly session into mid-October
when Schick testing was begun in order to test the efficiency of the
prophylactic given. By the end of the year testing had been carried