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10
The three children who contracted the disease were aged 10
years, 6 years, and 3h years. The child aged 10 years is reported
to have been immunised 8 years previously.
The Area Health Office has compiled the following table showing
the number of children at 31st December, 1950, who had completed
a course of immunisation at any time before that date (i.e. at any
time since 1st January, 1936).

The progress in the prevention and treatment of this disease
is clearly demonstrated in the following chart shewing the average
annual mortality rates over ten year periods for diphtheria in
Tottenham during the past half century.
In recent years the effects of the sustained campaigns for the
immunisation of children in infancy, have been most marked, so that
the occurrence now of a diphtheria case has become comparatively rare
Parents thinking they need no longer fear the disease might attack
their children, coupled with delay in operating the immunisation
scheme as a general practitioner service, no doubt, accounts for
some falling off during 1950 of the number of babies receiving
immunising treatment.
It is to be hoped that a decline in the acceptance rate will
not continue as it is essential to maintain a high percentage of
immunised children in the community if the disease is to continue
to be held in check.