London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Richmond upon Thames 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
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Health Visiting
| Cases visited by health visitors | Number of cases | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Total number of cases | 12,103 |
| 2 | Children born in 1968 | 3,073 |
| 3 | Children born in 1967 | 3,058 |
| 4 | Children born in 1963-66 | 4,266 |
| 5 | Total number of children in lines 2 — 4 | 10,397 |
| 6 | Persons aged 65 or over | 701 |
| 7 | Number included in line 6 who were visited at the special request of a G.P. or hospital | 273 |
| 8 | Mentally disordered persons | 73 |
| 9 | Number included in line 8 who were visited at the special request of a G.P. or hospital | 18 |
| 10 | Persons, excluding maternity cases, discharged from hospital (other than mental hospitals) | 35 |
| 11 | Number included in line 10 who were visited at the special request of a G.P. or hospital | 13 |
| 12 | Number of tuberculous households visited | 2 |
| 13 | Number of households visited on account of other infectious diseases | 13 |
| 14 | Other cases | 1,113 |
| 15 | Number of tuberculous households visited by tuberculosis visitors | 237 |
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Whooping Cough Investigation.
Sixty cases of whooping cough were notified during 1968; of these seven children
had been given a primary course and subsequent boost of triple vaccine.
Twenty one children had primary courses of triple vaccine but did not receive a
boosting dose. The main reason why such a large number had no 18-month booster is
that it was scheduled practice to give only a diphtheria-tetanus boost at 18 months of
age in the former Richmond area. Two additional factors were that some family doctors
discouraged 18-month boosters as unnecessary and also that some children caught
whooping cough before they were old enough for the 18-month booster.
Three children received partial courses only; two because of reaction to the pertussis
factor and one failed to attend appointments for the completion of the course
after having one dose of triple antigen.
The then Ministry of Health recommended a revision in the schedule of vaccination
and immunisation in 1968 taking account of the fact that a better immunological
response can be expected if the first dose is delayed until the child is 6 months of age.
Before this age the antibody response may be reduced by the presence of maternal antibody,
and the child's antibody mechanism is mature in the early months of life. It is
advised that the second dose should then be given at 8 months of age and that the third
dose should be given at 14 months of age. It is now considered that the boosting dose
of triple vaccine previously recommended to be given at 18 months of age is unnecessary
if the three primary doses are given at 6, 8 and 14 months.
The tables on page 34 show the numbers of children under 16 who completed
vaccination or immunisation procedures during 1968.
The "take-up" of all available types of immunisation has continued to be satisfactory
and the figures given in Table I on page 34 are generally comparable with last
year's figures
33