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A recent examination of the cost of the clinic shews it to
be approximately 5s. 4d. per head—a figure which includes
surgeon's fees as well as materials but not of course proportion
of nurses' salary, rent, etc., costs which would have been
incurred in any case even if the clinic had not been held.
One case of Diphtheria was notified during 1937, the patient
having been previously immunised. The case was mild in
character, and caused very little distress to the patient.
Dr. King-Brown, the specialist in charge of the Council's
Immunisation Clinic, has kindly furnished me with the undermentioned
report respecting the working of that clinic during
the past year.
REPORT ON DIPHTHERIA IMMUNISATION CLINIC.
It will be seen from the appended table that there has been
a fall in the number of children attending, and in the total
number of attendances. This is probably due, in the former
case, to the fact that it is the clinic's third year and that some
of the earlier enthusiasm has abated. In the latter case we have
the fact that, during the year, a one-dose and later a two-dose
method of immunisation was in use, compared with a three-dose
method in previous years. This naturally leads to a reduction
in the number of total attendances, but is of advantage in
reducing the number of children who fail to complete the full
course of treatment.
It will also be noted that the Schick negative rate (8.8 per
cent.) is lower than last year, showing that there is not a high
degree of natural immunity in the district, and indicating that
the work of immunising the child population artificially is veiy
necessary as it is probable that, should an outbreak of diphtheria
occur, it might reach very considerable proportions.
As mentioned above, a "one-shot" method of immunisation
using alum-precipitated toxoid (A.P.T.) was tried during
the year, but on re-testing the children after treatment it was
found that with one brand of A.P.T., 25.4 per cent. of the