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14
Diphtheria.
The number of cases notified during the year was 47, of which all
were treated in hospital. There were three deaths recorded from
this disease, and in each case the child had not been immunised
against Diphtheria.
Investigation of the source of infection and home circumstances
was carried out in each case by the sanitary inspectors, and
examination of ' 'contacts'' at home and in school was made by the
staff of the School Health Service. Swabs were taken in all suspected
cases.
Immunisation.
Despite intensive propaganda, the response to the invitation
to parents to have their children immunised against Diphtheria is
still far below the 100 per cent expected. A special appeal is
necessary to fathers returning from the Services not to allow
prejudice against inoculation, to delay acceptance until possibly too
late, of the almost certain protection to their children given by
modern methods of immunisation. Four immunisation clinics are
held weekly and the method used causes little or no discomfort to
the child who receives two doses of alum precipitated toxoid, the
first 0.2 c. c., followed three weeks later by 0.5 c. c.
Total attendances during the year 5,991
Number of individual cases completed:
0—4 years of age 1,407
4—15 years of age 147
Total 1,554
Number of Schick Tests 1,372
Medical practitioners who receive requests from their patients for
immunisation can receive supplies of the prophylactic material on
application to the Health Department.
Scarlet Fever.
The number of cases notified during the year was 214, of which
92 were treated in hospital and the remainder satisfactorily isolated
in their own homes. No deaths were recorded from this disease,
which was generally of a mild type. The need where it existed for
hospitalisation was due to inadequate provision for the satisfactory
isolation of such cases in the home.