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
West Ham 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The following table gives, as nearly as can be estimated, the proportion of children
in any age group who have received a course of immunisation since 1st January, 1941j-
Number of children who had completed a course of immunisation at any time between
1st January 1941 and 31st December 1955.
TABLE C.
| Age at 31.12.55 i.e., Born in Year | Under 1 1955 | 1-4 1954-1951 | 5-9 1950-1946 | 10 - 14 1945-1941 | Under 15 Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last complete course of injections (whether primary or booster) A. 1951-1945 | 30 | 5,6l8 | 9,413 | 4,576 | 19,637 |
| 6. 1950 or earlier | - | - | 2,885 | 3,271 | 6,156 |
| C. Estimated mid-year child population | 2,630 | 10,070 | 26,700 | 39,400 | |
| Immunity index 100A/C | l',06 | 55.79 | 52.02 | 49.84 | |
It will be seen from this table that little more than one per cent of the children
born in 1953 were fully immunised during the year.
This finding, among other things, has given rise to doubts about the policy of
regular suspension of diphtheria immunisation during the poliomyelitis season. It was
first introduced to avoid public alarm and administrative dislocation caused by the
sudden stoppage of immunisation as an emergency measure. In the light of experience,
however, it does seem to have resulted in the loss of many valuable weeks of immunising
time and to have had as discouraging an effect in its own way as ever arose from the
association in the public mind of immunisation with poliomyelitis. This association
now appears to be generally understood and accepted, and the way lies open for the
application of a more adaptable policy adjusted to the epidemiological circumstances
prevailing in any particular year. Before this report went to press a change of policy
along these lines had been adopted by the Council.
Accompanying this decline in the protection of children under one year there
was a small increase in the Immunity Index for the total child population. This can
be attributed to the 2,364 injections (mainly boosters) which were given in the last
four days of the year.
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