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12
Smallpox.
60.9% of babies were vaccinated during the year. This is still nut
high enough, but is a better figure than in many parts of the country.
Poliomyelitis.
Supplies of vaccine were adequate throughout the year. A close
survey of the schools showed that nearly 30% of the children had not
been registered for vaccination. With the helpful Co-operation of
Head Teachers, arrangements were made for inoculation sessions to
be held in the schools and the response was excellent. Well before
the end of the year nearly every child in our schools had received the
full course of three injections. As far as could be ascertained the
only exceptions were a few objectors.
In the Spring there was a sudden large demand from young people
aged 15 to 25 years. Special sessions were arranged at convenient
times and sessions were held in factories, the Technical Institute, Kew
Gardens, and similar places where there were significant numbers of
people in the appropriate age group.
In addition to all this, an unknown number of our young people
were inoculated at their place of work in London or elsewhere.
Late in the year, the age limit was raised to forty— but the immediate
response was slow.
Tuberculosis.
As in previous years all children aged 13 years were offered B.C.G.
vaccination. The object is to provide artificial immunity to the disease
during the adolescent period when children are susceptible and can
be seriously affected.