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47
Diphtheria.
During the year 23 cases of Diphtheria were notified as compared
with 19 in 1937. The rate per 1,000 living was 0.60 as compared
with a case rate of 1.58 in England and Wales.
There were no deaths from the disease during the year.
Antitoxin for the treatment of the disease is kept by various
chemists in the Borough and is immediately available for any medical
practitioner. The cost of serum so supplied during the year was
£3 5s. 6d.
DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION CLINIC.
The Diphtheria Immunisation Clinic is still held weekly but
the numbers of the School children now attending have naturally
dropped.
Comparatively few cases of Diphtheria have occurred during the
year under review but whenever one has been notified the opportunity
has been taken to circularise the parents of the children in the neighbourhood
pointing out that a case has arisen and offering immunisation.
In this way many children, whose parents ignored the matter
previously, have been protected.
Parents whose children were immunised two years ago have been
asked to have them Schick tested again in order to see that they are
still immune. The result has been most satisfactory, only one or two
cases requiring a second immunisation.
The following report is furnished me by Dr. D. S. Murray,
who carries out the Schick testing and immunisation:—
The attendance at the Diphtheria Immunisation Clinic for the
year 1938 has been generally satisfactory, although the number of new
cases seen has been smaller than in 1937.
One important change that has been made is that children under
school age are now immunised without previous test. This cuts
down the number of attendances and follows upon the figures given