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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION (Section 26)
Vaccination and immunisation is available at all Child Welfare
Clinics, but in the majority of cases is carried out by the family
doctor.
Intensive propaganda, both personal on the part of clinic doctors
and Health Visitors, and by means of leaflets and birthday cards, is
maintained to ensure that all infants are immunised against Diphtheria.
During the past 10 years the incidence of the disease has fallen to
a minimum with the result that never having experienced it, present
day parents tend to become complacent, and to postpone immunisation.
Nevertheless, it is estimated that 75-80 per cent of children
are being protected. It is impossible to give an accurate figure as
many practitioners do not trouble to claim the small fee available
to them for recording the immunisation.
Immunisation against whooping cough is normally carried out from
the 3rd-6th month.
The number of children who completed a full course of primary
immunisation against diphtheria during the year is set out below:—
Under 5 years of age 562
5 to 15 years of age 38
600
The number of children who received a secondary or re-inforcing
injection was 320.

The following information shows the total number of children
under 16 years of age who have at any time received a primary course
of immunisation against diphtheria, as at 31st December, 1959.
48