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The following table gives the number of children who, at the end of 1958 had
completed a course of immunisation since 1st January, 1944.

Whooping Cough Vaccination. By using a combined vaccine it is possible to protect
a child against whooping cough as well as diphtheria, without increasing the number of
injections which it is necessary for the child to receive. Of the 2,124 children under
five years of age given a primary course of immunisation only 197 were not protected against
whooping cough as well as diphtheria.
Poliomyelitis Vaccination. During 1958 vaccination against poliomyelitis was continued
and in September the scheme was extended to include all young persons under 26 years of age and
also to hospital staff who were liable to come into contact with cases of poliomyelitis. In
addition, the Ministry's scheme was further extended by offering a third injection to all
people who had completed a course of primary vaccination.
The administration of the poliomyelitis scheme was greatly complicated by difficulties
in the supply of vaccines and the introduction of imported supplies from the United States and
Canada. Initially, the imported Salk vaccine was required to pass the same safety tests in
this country as the British vaccine. Later in the year, the Salk vaccine was made available
for use without undergoing testing in Britain. Parents were given the opportunity to choose
(a) British vaccine, (b) the Medical Research Council tested Salk vaccine, (c) Salk vaccine
which had passed the stringent requirements of the American authorities. The total number
of persons vaccinated with two injections since the inception of the scheme was 21,391.
During 1958, 16,250 received two injections, 11,505 carried out by the Health Department
and 4,745 by general practitioners.

In the priority groups, i.e. expectant mothers, general practitioners and their
families, ambulance staff and their families, hospital staff and their families, 265
persons were vaccinated.
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