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The following table gives the estimated proportion of children in any age group
who have received a course of immunisation since 1st January, 194-2.
Number of children who had completed a course of immunisation at any time between
1st January 194-2 and 31st December 1956.

Poliomyelitis Vaccination. The Ministry of Health Circular 2/56 gave details
regarding the vaccination of children against poliomyelitis. Arrangements were immediately
made for the registration of children in the 194-7-1954- group whose parents wished them
to be vaccinated. By the closing date, 14-th April, 1956, 6,500 registration had been made.
Owing to the vaccine being in short supply authorities were to be issued vaccine
in proportion to the number of registrations and to start with the Medical research
Council selected the children to be vaccined first acoording to their month and year of
birtho Instructions were also received regarding the reporting of notified cases of
poliomyelitis, whether vaccinated or not, to the Statistical Research Unit of the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where the assessment of the protective effect of
the vaccine was to be made.
Vaccinations were commenced on the 12th May, and were suspended at the end of June.
A few second doses were given in December making a total of 680 completed vaccinations
during the year.
A surprising feature was the number of cases that did not keep their appointments.
Some were unable to on account of sickness, contact with infectious disease and holidays,
and asked to have the vaccination deferred,, Others, however, gave no reason and it can
perhaps be assumed that they still had doubts about the safety of the vaccine.
There were no untoward reactions or complications in any of the 680 children who
received the poliomyelitis vaccine.
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