London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
91
County Council's scheme for vaccination and immunisation against
diphtheria and whooping cough, a fee of 5/- being payable on the
completion of a report.
The following were the attendances during the weekly Town
Hall Clinic:—
Diphtheria Immunisation 207
Whooping Cough Immunisation 218
Vaccination 290
Total 715
Vaccination against Smallpox
The number and ages of persons vaccinated are shown below:—
| Age at date of Vaccination | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 6 months | 6-12 months | 1 year | 2—4 years | 5—14 years | 15 years and over | Total | |
| Primary | 580 | 106 | 43 | 30 | 30 | 71 | 860 |
| Secondary | — | — | — | 6 | 11 | 197 | 214 |
| Total | 580 | 106 | 43 | 36 | 41 | 268 | 1,074 |
The total of 1,074 is a marked improvement on 742 in 1955,
but even so the "Vaccination acceptance rate," i.e., the percentage
of primary vaccinations under the age of one year completed in
1956 relative to the live births for the year was only 49 per cent.
(The rate for England and Wales for 1955 was 36.4.)
The attention of the medical and health visiting staff was again
drawn to the low acceptance rates and it was pointed out that they
have excellent opportunities to convince mothers of the need for
vaccination. Instructions were given that at each home visit the
position in regard to all protective measures would be specifically
stated on the records and pressure was to be continued to secure
maximum acceptance rate.
Vaccinated by General Practitioners 637
Vaccinated by County Staff 437
Vaccination and Re-vaccination of Departmental Staff
The staff of the department and of the ambulance service,
especially those who would be expected to deal with smallpox in
the event of cases occurring, were again offered facilities for
vaccination and re-vaccination. The number vaccinated was 18.