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Instead, every endeavour has been made to refer staff for chest
X-ray examinations at the Mobile Mass Radiography Units and the
static unit at Holloway Road, but the difficulties in such an arrangement
are obvious when compared with local facilities.
(b) Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials (Medical Research Council).
Dr. T. M. Pollock has reported as follows:—
"The follow-up of the vaccinated and control groups begun
in June, 1952, continued during 1955.
"Of the 175 invited to attend when the unit visited Walthamstow
in January, 59 per cent. returned for their X-ray. 26 per cent.
of defaulters from the previous visit attended on this occasion.
"When the Unit visited again in June, the proportion of
defaulters from the previous session who attended showed a very
marked improvement, i.e. 47 per cent.
The following extracts are taken from the press release issued
by the Medical Research Council in February, 1956:—
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
B.C.G. AND VOLE BACILLUS VACCINES IN THE PREVENTION OF
TUBERCULOSIS IN ADOLESCENTS
"The first report of the Medical Research Council's investigation
into the value of vaccination against tuberculosis, published
to-day in the British Medical Journal, shows that vaccination of
children in their 15th year substantially reduces the risk of contracting
tuberculosis in adolescence.
"The first report establishes beyond question the short term
value of vaccination of young people in this country. Not all
children are eligible for vaccination; the percentage (as shown by
skin test) varies in different places and at different ages. The present
results show that a general vaccination scheme at the age of 14-15
in this country should reduce the number of cases of the disease
developing between the ages of 14 and 17 years by about one half.
This represents a valuable contribution to the prevention of tuberculosis.
"Continuation of the Investigation.
"The report includes complete results for the first 2½ years of
the investigation, with supplementary information up to 4 years.
Until the scheme has continued for a further period it will not be
possible to say for how long the protection given by each vaccine
will last, and whether those protected from tuberculosis in the first
few years after vaccination will remain protected in later life. Until
more is known of the duration of protection given by the vaccine it
is also not possible to decide definitely the most suitable age at which
it should be given.
"Finally, although the vaccines can make a substantial contribution
to the prevention of tuberculosis, it should not be assumed
that efforts to control the disease by other means can be relaxed.