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51
During the three years 1936/7/8 an average of some 300 cases
per annum were immunised in the age group 0—5 years and some
1,300 cases per annum in the age group 5—15 years. Owing to the
outbreak of war and of the incidence of bombing and evacuation,
these numbers dropped badly during 1939/40, to pick up again with
the commencement of the Ministry of Health Publicity campaign.
Coincident with this, the need for early immunisation, i.e., preferably
during the first year of life and in any case before school entry, was
stressed and immunisation facilities were made available at Welfare
Centres in 1942.
As a result, the average of completed cases during the last four
years, 1945/8 has been: —
Under five years of age 1,733
Between five and fifteen years 729
or an average of 2,462 completed cases per annum under fifteen
years of age.
During these years the percentages immunised in the various
age groups were as follows :—
Percentage Immunised
Year Under 5 years 5—15 years 0—15 years
1945 40.7 80.4 65.7
1946 50.3 77.4 67.7
1947 52.4 86.0 72.2
1948 61.5 91.5 79.2
Excluding 1932, i.e., the first year of immunisation, there were :
during the eight years 1933/40 a total of 31 deaths from Diphtheria,
and during the eight years 1941/48 a total of 15 deaths from
Diphtheria.
During the last two years, i.e., 1947 and 1948, there was no
death, but the year 1946 was a bad year, when there were six
deaths from Diphtheria in unprotected children in the reception
areas.
During 1948, out of 34 patients admitted to hospital for
suspected Diphtheria, only one was confirmed as such. This very
favourable result was largely due to immunisation and to the fact
that over 60 per cent. of children under five years of age and over
90 per cent. of children between five and and fifteen years of age
have so far been protected in Walthamstow. This virtual elimination
of Diphtheria can only continue if the percentage of young
children protected can be kept up, or better, increased, especially
in regard to the under fives.