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32
staff was most gratifying, and two extra sessions were allocated.
In all, 366 teachers and 186 other staff were examined.
(b) Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials (Medical Research Council).
Extracts from the press release issued by the Medical Research
Council in February, 1956, were published in last year's report.
During 1956 participants in the scheme continued to return for
x-ray satisfactorily.
(c) B.C.G. Vaccination of School Children.
The scheme followed was described in the Report for 1954
and continued during the year under review.
Unfortunately it has been considered necessary by the Ministry
of Health to supply the vaccine through the Local Health Authority
at Chelmsford, instead of direct, and on one occasion special
arrangements had to be hurriedly improvised to obtain an alterna'
tive supply, since the regular supply had not arrived.
The Heaf multiple puncture apparatus has been used exclusively
for testing during 1956 and with complete success.
All secondary schools have been visited during the year, and
of the 1,591 children invited 1,268 accepted, giving an acceptance
rate of 79.7 per cent.
1956 1955
Number of Heaf positive 176 109
Percentage positive 14.2 13.0
Number of Heaf negative 1,064 740
Number absent 28 8
B.C.G. given 1,053 728
Absent or not done 11 12
By arrangement with the Chest Physician all the Heaf positive
children were offered chest x-ray at the Chest Clinic. One was
found to have active disease.
No complications as defined in Section 18 of the Ministry of
Health Memo 324/BCG have arisen, although many children have
been seen with small ulcers which are a normal concomitant of
successful vaccination. These children have been seen mainly
owing to parental apprehension, although a fully explanatory leaflet
is given to each child vaccinated.
Arrangements have continued for family doctors to be notified
when children on their lists in this age group are Heaf positive
or have been vaccinated.
679 conversion tests were carried out on children who were
given B.C.G. in 1955. 24 gave a negative result to the test but
all these showed a good vaccination scar.