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(e) B.C.G. Vaccination of School Children.
Following the County Council's agreement in April 1954 to
extend B.C.G. Vaccination to school children, arrangements were
made to implement the scheme in Walthamstow.
A preliminary explanatory talk was given to all Head
Teachers of secondary schools. Great interest was shown in the
scheme and their full support was obtained.
All general practitioners in the area were circularised and
given full details. The Chest Physician was informed of each step
and his advice and guidance sought whenever necessary.
Talks to parents were not proceeded with as it would have
been difficult to arrange to give them to any considerable number.
The explanatory leaflet was considered sufficient. Many parents
have sought the advice of Head Teachers before allowing their
children to participate.
Two medical officers were selected to undertake the work and
to attend for the required instruction at the Hospital for Sick Children,
Great Ormond Street.
B.C.G. vaccination was commenced on the 15th June, the
routine adopted being as follows. Dates for the Mantoux testing
and vaccination are agreed with the Head Teacher six weeks before.
Explanatory leaflets and consent forms sent to the school for distribution
by the Head Teacher to the appropriate age group, i.e.,
in the year preceding the 14th birthday. The consent forms are
returnable within a fortnight so that the requisite amount of tuberculin
test material and B.C.G. can be ordered four weeks in
advance.
The tuberculin testing is carried out on a Tuesday and the
reading and B.C.G. vaccination on the following Friday.
For preliminary testing the Mantoux intradermal method with
0.1 ml. of tuberculin has been used up to now. The Heaf Multiple
Puncture apparatus has not yet been used for this preliminary test,
but is being used in 1955 for the post-vaccination tests.
B.C.G. vaccine usually arrives on a Thursday morning. Only
once has the vaccine not arrived and considerable effort had to be
made to obtain supplies in time. The non-arrival of the vaccine
can upset the whole B.C.G. programme since this has been arranged
six weeks in advance.
All secondary schools had been visited by the end of the year,
and of the 1,548 children invited 825 accepted, giving an acceptance
rate of 53.3%.