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Vaccination
The figures for infant vaccination, after a splendid improvement in 1953, show some
deterioration for this year. In the table below, it will be seen that the total of primary
vaccinations is 359; this compares with 413 the previous year. The figure of 283 for infants
under a year of age is lower by 37 than that for the previous year. Of 701 children born,
a figure of 283 receiving vaccination during the first year of life gives a percentage of 40 4,
and this is not a satisfactory proportion. There was no especial campaign for infant
vaccination carried out during the year 1954, and it may be that it is now time for further
activity with regard to this. Figures supplied by the Area Medical Officer show that 144
children under the age of 5 received primary vaccination at County Council Clinics in
Southall during the year 1954.

Scarlet Fever (Scarlatina)
The number of notifications received during the year was 101 as compared with 131
for the previous year. 16 cases were admitted to hospital for isolation and treatment, and
85 were nursed at home. Secondary cases occurred in 6 instances where the first case was
nursed at home, and in most of these cases isolation was very poor—parents are becoming
increasingly careless about this disease and on one occasion the brother of the case was found
still to be attending school three days after scarlet fever had been diagnosed.
Diphtheria
No cases of diphtheria were notified to the Department.