London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1950
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION
| Age at Immunisation | Percentage Immunised to Population in Age Groups | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Regd. Births | 0—1 year | 1—2 years | 2—3 years | 3—4 years | 4-5 years | Total 0—5 years | School Age | Over School Age | Grand Total | % 0—1 to Total Births | % 0—5 years | % 5—15 years | % 0—15 years | Admitted to Hospital | Diagnosis Confirmed | Deaths |
| 1945 | 1,713 | 126 | 907 | 178 | 73 | 52 | 1,336 | 938 | 7 | 2,281 | 7.3 | 40.7 | 80.4 | 65.7 | 64 | 16 | - |
| 6 | 2,544 | 287 | 946 | 212 | 140 | 160 | 1,745 | 882 | 11 | 2,638 | 11.2 | 50.3 | 77.4 | 67.7 | 80 | 22 | 6 |
| 7 | 2,670 | 719 | 869 | 111 | 68 | 77 | 1,844 | 810 | 4 | 2,658 | 26.9 | 52.4 | 86.0 | 72.2 | 38 | 0 | - |
| 8 | 2,068 | 1,076 | 780 | 105 | 41 | 47 | 2,049 | 662 | 1 | 2,712 | 52.0 | 61.5 | 91.5 | 79.2 | 34 | 1 | - |
| 9 | 1,836 | 1,112 | 391 | 63 | 60 | 32 | 1,648 | 304 | 1 | 1,953 | 60.5 | 62.5 | 96.2 | 82.1 | 20 | 0 | - |
| 1950 | 1,598 | 707 | 288 | 29 | 31 | 18 | 1,073 | 261 | — | 1,334 | 44.2 | 60.5 | 96.5 | 81.9 | 11 | 1 | - |
From the above table it will be seen that there have only been two confirmed cases of diphtheria in the
last four years, and no deaths.
On the other hand, the fall in the number of children immunised in 1950, especially in the 0—1 age group,
gives rise to misgiving, especially since the target of immunisation in this group is 75% of babies born each year.
There are several contributory causes to this decline, e.g., the reduction in the number of births, the
publicity given to the alleged association between injections of any kind and poliomyelitis, and the decreased
awareness on the part of the public to the dangers of diphtheria. In addition there is some evidence that general
practitioners do not send in records in order to claim fees for many of the immunisations done by them.
68 children were given "combined" diphtheria/whooping cough immunisation by general practitioners,
but the prophylactic was not supplied by the Local Authority. These are included in the above total.
During the past five years the percentages immunised in the
various age groups were as follows:—
82